


Come Back My Car Share Buddy...It's Gone Bloody Viral!

by AssyPiff



Category: Peter Kay's Car Share (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-05-27 20:45:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 31,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15032930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AssyPiff/pseuds/AssyPiff
Summary: What if John's song went viral?





	1. Chapter 1

Arriving at Kayleigh's in the replacement Honda, John realises that this is the first day of the rest of his life. He is still shattered but he slept the deep contented sleep of a relieved and happy man. Kayleigh emerges from the house with a beautiful smile on her face as she catches sight of John. 

"Hiya Kayleigh, how ya doing? Best get a wriggle on I'm a bit late what with having to pick this car up!"

"I'm so sorry John! But I couldn't let that little hedgehog get squashed!" Kayleigh is regretful but unbowed.

" I know, Kayleigh, can't be helped! Let's just not talk about it eh? Let's just say I had a little bumpette to anyone who asks at work and leave it at that! "

"Ok John, we'll keep yesterday to ourselves." 

Unfortunately for both of them the goings on between them of the last couple of days has been the sole topic of conversation around the store. A few of the staff had heard John's radio dedication to Kayleigh and had expected them to be announcing their engagement anytime soon as everyone was convinced they had already got together as Elsie had not so subtly indicated the night of the party.

Barry, Pamela, Gail and Donna had been standing in the shelter and witnessed their intense conflab in the car yesterday morning ending with Kayleigh kissing John. They waited until John and Kayleigh had gone past with more soppy smiles on their faces than usual, and rushed to their respective sections of the store to spread the news!

During the day, despite Kayleigh thinking she was hiding it pretty well, everyone saw that she was beside herself with happiness and kept a Walkman behind her promotions stand and kept sneaking the headphones into her ears when she thought no-one was looking. Kayleigh couldn't help herself but sing little snatches of what ever she was listening to.

Diane from Non-Foods made sure she kept as close to Kayleigh as she could but out of sight, which was no mean feat for her. All Diane could hear was the phrase "Come back my Car Share Buddy..." repeated over and over again. Diane managed to get Cath Hilton to call Kayleigh up to HR to discuss her holidays, and takes the Walkman from where Kayleigh has stashed it, to the breakroom where she plays the song out loud and managed to record it onto her phone. She puts it back before Kayleigh gets back to her stand.  
Diane goes up to Cath Hilton's office and sits down with a huge grin on her face.

"I've got it Cath! You NEED to listen to this! I think it's John singing!"

With that she gets her phone out and plays the recording. They both sit there in disbelief that this was John singing obviously to Kayleigh.

"Well I didn't expect that! sniffs Cath, " that's so beautiful! I bet Kayleigh is made up ! No wonder she's been singing it all day! He really loves her but is scared to death poor sod! "

"I can't get over how good that is! I wonder if he wrote it? I know he plays in a band so he could have! He'd give Gary Barlow a run for his money that's for sure!" Diane is thoroughly impressed. " I wished my Brian would do something like that for me! "

"We have got to do something with this!" Cath has a germ of an idea. "Remember that You Tube video of John and that cyclist a few weeks back? " I'm going to make this into a video for them, it's too good to stay on that Walkman! "

"Oh My God, Cath that's brilliant!" Diane claps her hands , "I can't wait to see their faces!"

" They'll be ok with it won't they? " Cath has a moment of doubt, "John seemed to take the cyclist one ok."

" I heard that was only after a lot of cajoling from Kayleigh, she said he was bloody furious and mortified to start with. She made him see the funny side!"

They both chuckle, "She's pretty hard to resist is our Kayleigh as our John has found out! Didn't stand a chance did he? One of my more inspired moments putting those two together." Cath says proudly.

" I'm sure they'll be fine, Cath. What have you in mind? "

"I have a plan but I need you to do me a favour...."

So the plan is hatched and while Cath starts her part in the plot, Diane hurries off to get started on her part! Everyone is going to love this! To John and Kayleigh ignorance, for the time being is bliss!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cath Hilton carries out the plan

Cath Hilton is the repository for staff photos that have gone in the newsletter for the last ten years. She and her staff have written a monthly newsletter for years and organised the various charity events and annual parties. "Must have photo's of them together somewhere!" She mutters to herself as she goes into the photos folder and methodically searches each sub folder, organised by year, for photo 's that include John and Kayleigh. She finds a few and creates a new folder to copy them into. She's particularly fond of the one of John, Kayleigh and Old Ted on the trampoline for Help the Heroes!

Meanwhile, Diane is surreptitiously going round to every member of staff she can find to ask everyone if they have any photo's of the "Golden Couple" as she has Christened them. She asks everyone to send anything they have to Cath Hilton and adds that if anyone can get any snaps of them without them knowing that would be good too! She intimated that there will be a prize for the best photo. ..she's sure Cath won't mind!

Over the next few days, although John and Kayleigh are very much wrapped up in themselves in the time-honoured tradition of recently coupled couples, they began to get an inkling that something was going on. It was subtle at first, whispering that stopped when either one of them walked by, but it got more blatant as time went on. Everyone was completely on board with the photo competition, even though they didn't know the eventual outcome, and Kayleigh and John began to notice an increasing preoccupation with phones around the store.

One lunch time, John and Kayleigh caught up with each other by the back door. They thought they were being circumspect, which of course they weren't!

"Hiya John!" Kayleigh is always pleased to see him.

" Alright Kayleigh? " John is equally happy to see her.

They are smiling at each other but are distracted by a slight movement in the Smoking Shelter. Alexa is playing with her phone but tries to hastily put it away as they turn around.

Kayleigh frowns... "That's a bit odd," she whispers to John.

"You're not kidding! What's with everyone and their bloody phones?"

Kayleigh shrugs, "I don't know John but there's definitely something going on!" Do you think anyone has figured out that we're together? "

It's John's turn to shrug... "I dunno, don't think so, nobody's said anything to me if they have!"

" I know we agreed not to say anything...but I am starting to feel like a teenager sneaking around like this. " And it was true, Kayleigh was an open book, John was closed off by nature and they had yet to find a happy medium.

John knows that it will all come out eventually, but he's enjoying the private time with Kayleigh where they are open with each other without the interference of the one hundred and one people who were bound to have an opinion and have no problem expressing it. 

"It won't be forever, Kayleigh. Let's just get used to us before anyone else needs to know? Please? "

Kayleigh understands what it has taken John to get where they are now and respects his need for privacy even though she doesn't feel the need for it herself.

"Do ya want to go and get a bite to eat on the way home?" John asks, " It'll give us a chance to try and figure out what the hell is going on around here!"

"Ooh yes! John, I'd like that! Listen I'd better get back before Dave Thompson has another go at me! Knob-rash! " she tries to land a kiss on John's cheek, but he tries to dodge out of the way and only succeeds in turning so that her kiss lands on his lips instead! A little interlude caught perfectly by Barry as he's replaced Alexa at the shelter.

"Hey! Be careful Kayleigh! Do you want everyone to know?!" But he enjoys the kiss anyway!

"Well I do as it happens," Kayleigh says to herself as she makes her way back to her promotions stand for another exciting afternoon with Dairy Lea Dunkers.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Kayleigh try to figure out what's going on.

Stopping off at a nice country pub on the way over to Bury, John brings out Kayleigh a nice long J2O with lots of ice and himself a diet coke, to the table she's sat at in the pub garden.

"This is nice, " Kayleigh says loving that they can now spend time together outside work and that it was John's suggestion.

"Yeah it is." John is enjoying the feeling of freedom to spend time with Kayleigh without seeming like the whole bloody world is watching.

Kayleigh is looking at the menu, trying to decide what to have. John is a steak, chips and peas man when he's out for a pub meal, he rarely changes his menu choice, bit of a metaphor for his life really. Kayleigh thinks she might have steak too but then changes her mind and plumps for lasagne and salad.

"Right I'll just go and order this then," John gets up to put their order in, Kayleigh stops him.

"I'll get this John, my treat." She wants to make amends for not having the money for the tea and muffins the other day.

" Don't be daft, " John says fondly, "I'm not having you paying on our first date!" John is endearingly old-fashioned in many ways.

"Oh is this what this is?" Kayleigh hadn't really thought of this little outing as a date, they were still in their work clothes after all. "Oh well in that case, thank you, but I'll get the next one!" 

" Ok then, want another drink while I'm there? "

"Yes please" Kayleigh stretches and enjoys the evening September sun.  
When he returns with the drinks, Kayleigh has taken off her work jacket, so John does likewise and takes off his tie.

"There, that's better" John says sitting down opposite Kayleigh , finally relaxing.

They sit and chat while they're waiting for their meals, enjoying each other's company.

"So what do you think is going on John?" Kayleigh asks.

" I don't know, " John considers for a minute, "but something's not right. I've had no smart-arsed comments from anyone for days. And nobody's mentioned the dedication!" 

John realised that he's not told Kayleigh about his Forever FM dedication on the evening of their Big Falling Out. He's a bit embarrassed now but realises that he can't get away with not telling her.

" When ya started asking me what we were I just froze Kayleigh. The only thing I could think of doing was texting Forever FM to tell ya. "

"So that's what you were up to?" Kayleigh is intrigued, " What did you say? And why didn't I hear it? "

"I just said..." Nobody puts Kayleigh in the corner" and they played your song by Marillion. But you'd got out of the car just before they played it so the world and his bloody wife heard but not the one person it were meant for! "

"Oh John! Why couldn't you just tell me?" Kayleigh is very moved by John's admission.

John looks her in the eye, "You know why!"

" Anyway what do you mean? What comments? " Kayleigh has been pretty much oblivious to the sly and not so sly digs that John had been putting up with for weeks.

"Well put it this way...Elsie was the first but she wasn't the bloody last! I expected them to be all over me at work once they heard that but nobody has!" 

"Really?" Kayleigh is intrigued, " I never heard anything! No-one said anything to me! "

"Yeah I nearly punched Ian Litchfield when we were over there! The rumours have even got over to Wigan! Honest to God! Does my bloody head in!"

"What have they been saying?" Kayleigh really hopes he'll tell her.

" They thought somethin' was going on after I started picking ya up from your Mandy's. Apparently ya must 've been me bird, well according to Jim anyway! "

"No! Really? I'm glad you did! But why did you? "

"Like I said, Kayleigh, I missed ya! It didn't feel right driving in without ya!" 

" Aw John, I missed you too. My heart broke when you dropped me off for the last time. Somehow just seeing you at work wasn't going to be enough! "

Holding hands across the table, they enjoyed the moment soaking up the sunshine and each other. They were interrupted by their meals arriving, reluctantly dropping their hands they waded through their dinner. It was nice to be able to eat together without any time pressure.

"So what are we going to do about work?" Kayleigh says.

"Well we need to find out what those nosey bastards are up to, just keep an ear out see if you can find out anything! I'll do the same! "

"Hey this was really nice," Kayleigh says " thank you John," leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.

"You're welcome, I've enjoyed meself." 

John goes a delightful shade of pink whenever she does that, she notices. What neither of them notices is Steve off Freezers disappearing back into the car park. Steve had called in for a pint on his way home and has seen John's red Fiat in the car park. He's managed to get a couple of good photo's of them holding hands and the piece de resistance of Kayleigh's kiss on the cheek and the look on John's face. He's bound to win the prize, he chuckles.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kayleigh has a shock but thinks she's found out what's been going on.

Over the next few days the supermarket staff are agog to see what's going to happen with photo's they've managed to accumulate and send to Cath Hilton. They've had to become more subtle as John and Kayleigh were becoming suspicious that something was going on. Cath had let it be known that she'd got enough photos so unless anyone caught them in a full on snog everyone should lay off. For their part John and Kayleigh were keeping their eyes open but aside from several incidents where they'd walked into a room and there was an abrupt but not subtle change of topic they hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

It was on one such occasion that Kayleigh walked into the breakroom to find Diane off Non-Foods and Cath Hilton talking quietly to each other. Diane looks up and sees Kayleigh and abruptly stops talking. 

"Hiya," Kayleigh says, "What you two talking about, sounds interesting. "

Diane looks at Cath not sure what to say. 

"We were just talking about John's dedication." Cath is grasping for something plausible they might be in a huddle about.

" What dedication? Where? What are you talking about? " Kayleigh has absolutely no idea what they're talking about.

"You know! John's dedication on the radio the other evening."

" What our John? John Redmond? " Kayleigh feels like they are speaking Swahili as much as she is understanding them.

"You're not telling us you didn't hear it? It would've just been when you were driving home!"

" There was an evening where John didn't take me home... " Kayleigh looks a bit sad remembering what had caused her to get out of his car in the middle of the traffic. 

"That must have been it then." Cath senses that something had happened there.

" So John didn't tell you then? " Cath and Diane are frankly incredulous.

Kayleigh is getting thoroughly impatient with the pair of them. " Well obviously not! I clearly have not a clue what you're talking about! "

"It was on Forever FM. There was a dedication from a "John in gridlock" who wanted them to say "Nobody puts Kayleigh in the corner," but instead of playing something from Dirty Dancing they played that Kayleigh song by Marillion." Cath had decided to explain to Kayleigh what they'd heard in words of more or less one syllable as clearly Kayleigh was having trouble understanding English today.

Kayleigh was absolutely dumbstruck. Once the words had sunk in she's smiling from ear to ear. "He said that?" Of course she knows exactly what he meant. She remembered John saying "Why doesn't he just tell her instead of talking in bloody riddles?"

John had been trying to tell her but she didn't wait long enough. Kayleigh's heart melts all over again. She's lost in her own little world, totally oblivious of Cath and Diane watching her. That's twice now that John's told her that he loves her without actually saying the words directly. He was doing his best, bless him. In a strange way it means more because he's telling her in his own quiet way rather than shouting it from the rooftops. He really is adorable!

Cath and Diane can see how absolutely besotted Kayleigh is. She's going to love their little surprise! John they're still not convinced about.

"I can't believe that John never said anything about it!" Diane says to Cath. 

"That's as out there as I've ever heard him! I bet he was embarrassed!" Cath replies.

Kayleigh rejoins the conversation, "What's John got to be embarrassed about?"

" Oh you know, that everyone heard." 

"John's going to be mortified when he finds out! Is that what everyone's been talking about the past few days?"

Cath and Diane exchange a quick glance. So they have picked up on all the furtiveness. At least this is a plausible cover for all of that.

"I expect so," Cath agrees, " It was really lovely. I was practically screaming in my car when I realised who it was. Roisin nearly spilt her drink over herself when I started."

"So why didn't he tell you?" Diane wonders. 

"Perhaps it just slipped his mind...or perhaps it wasn't even him!" Kayleigh's heart sinks for two reasons; first she shouldn't really be admitting that it was John who had sent the dedication and second why hasn't he told her about it.

Cath and Diane see Kayleigh's mood change and wonder what that's all about. She looked so happy and now she looked as if someone had kicked her puppy. 

"I'd better get back," she says to them with a sigh, "See you later."

" Now there's a whole lot going on there we don't know about!" Diane remarks.

"There sure is, she looked so happy there for a minute and then...well she looked as if reality came and kicked her in the teeth. We'd better get on with this video before they fall out!" Cath replies. She makes a mental note to herself to phone her nephew to get him to come round after work to show her how to put the video together.

At home time Kayleigh is waiting for John by the car. She's been mulling over her conversation with Cath and Diane and has worked herself up into a bit of a state. She had been so happy that she totally forgot herself and has probably given the game away. And why hadn't John mentioned the dedication? By the time John reaches her, Kayleigh is desperate to talk to him.

"Hiya," John greets her cheerily, "How was your day?"

" Interesting...do you mind if we stop on the way home? I've found something out I need to tell you about."

"Sounds ominous. Should I be worried?" John has caught her mood and doesn't know how to interpret it.

" Can we stop at the park? I feel like a walk." Kayleigh thinks it's best to have this conversation somewhere else.

"The park, ok, let's go then." John is getting worried now. 

Arriving at the park's car park twenty minutes later, John was still unsuccessful in getting Kayleigh to tell him what was going on.

"Are you going to tell me what you heard? I'm imagining all sorts here!"

" Let's have a walk round the pond. " Kayleigh says as she unbuckles her seat belt and prepares to get out of the car.

"Aye, ok." John does the same.

The park has a large field marked out for cricket, a children's play area and a memorial garden leading off to a large pond that has a path leading all the way round it. The path is lined with trees and has wooden benches at intervals looking out onto the water. They make their way through the garden towards the pond and start strolling around the path.

" I went into the breakroom today and Diane and Cath Hilton were whispering together." Kayleigh thinks it's better to launch straight in as she has been quite mysterious so far.

"Did you hear what they were saying?" John's curiosity is by now well and truly piqued.

"No but I asked them! I'm fed up of that lot shutting up whenever I come into a room!"

"And what did they say?"

" They said they were talking about your radio dedication... " Kayleigh leaves the words hanging.

"Oh bloody hell! I forgot anyone else might hear it!" He really he'd been so upset that he had given no thought to the dedication after Kayleigh has missed it and then subsequently so happy that again it had not crossed his mind. John guides Kayleigh to one of the benches and they sit down.

"In the car when you were asking what we were, I just panicked Kayleigh," John begins. " I had only just started working that out for myself and I couldn't think quick enough. I knew I wouldn't be able to say the words you wanted to hear so I thought Forever FM could do it for me." John shakes his head ruefully. "But that only made things worse and you ended up not bloody well hearing it! Forever FM shower of shit!"

" They told me what you said... " Kayleigh prompted John gently.

"Aye well I thought you'd like it. Thought you'd know what I meant," John paused to look at her. " instead I nearly lost you for good. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to keep apologising John. I should have known better than to push you. I'm sorry I upset you. And I'm sorry I didn't hear the radio. I would've been made up!"

" Yeah well I told you I'm not good at these things... "

Kayleigh laughs, "You weren't kidding were you? So why didn't you tell me about it?"

" Honestly? I'd forgotten all about it. All I could think about was how to get you back. You weren't answering my texts...and then I thought about writing you a song. It took me all chuffing night! After that, well I was just so happy that you'd come back and I was so knackered that it never came to mind."

Kayleigh sits there listening to John explaining in his own hamfisted way, she really does love him so much.

"So that's what's been going on!" Kayleigh realises that she needs to tell John that she has probably let on to Cath and Diane more than she should.

"Um John, I was so happy when they told me what you'd said that I may have let on more than I should've."

"You didn't tell them what it meant did ya?" John is starting to go into panic mode.

" No I didn't John! I think I'd gone into shock or something so heaven know what my face was doing! I was just so happy! "

John takes her hand and they sit there staring out onto the pond. The leaves on the trees have started to turn and the colors make a lovely sight reflected in the water.

" Well that solves that little mystery! " John says relieved. "Hey I'm glad it made you happy. I just wish you'd heard it the first time!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The video of Come Back My Car Share Buddy is produced.

Meanwhile Cath Hilton had gone home and was waiting on her fifteen year old nephew, Gary, to come round with her sister Sheila, so they could put together the video. She had made herself a brew and was sat with her laptop at her dining room table flicking through the folder of photo's she had managed to compile of John and Kayleigh. She had managed to find a surprising amount taken at various events over the years. Surprising considering that John and Kayleigh weren't friends before the car sharing scheme had started, they seemed to have gravitated towards each other unconsciously. The candid shots people had taken in the last few days were lovely and she would have to decide on a winner. Steve's image of them outside at the pub with Kayleigh kissing John's cheek and the expression of delight on John's face, was certainly up there as one of the best. Along with Barry's shot of them kissing on the lips he'd taken from the smokers' shelter, and a photo taken by Alexa of them talking animatedly in John's car, were her top three.

Cath is interrupted by a knock at her back door and Sheila and Gary arriving.

"Hiya, Cath! It's only us!" Sheila calls as they walk through the kitchen. 

"Have you got the kettle on?" Sheila feels that the kettle is still warm, flicks the switch and gets a cup off the mug tree. 

Gary walks through to sit down at the dining table. "Hello Auntie Cath!"

Cath has always been very fond of her nephew, such a polite and lovely lad.

"Hiya Gary love, how's school?"

" Alright, busy! Starting exams next year!" 

"I'm sure you'll be fine! Hey thanks for helping me with this!"

" Not a worry. Who's this for?" Gary asks as he looks at the photo's on the laptop.

Sheila comes in and touches her sister on the shoulder, putting her mug down on a coaster.

"It's for a couple at work. It's the same fella as you did that "Jump!" video about.

They all start laughing remembering how funny that was.

"How many hits did you get in the end?" Cath smiles at her nephew, he really is a talented lad.

" Ten thousand and rising! " Sheila is very excited.

"Now you need to listen to this! John 's singing this for Kayleigh we think. I've collected some photo's of them and the rest is up to you and the magic you can work our Gary."

Cath presses play on her phone and plays them John's song. Sheila and Cath tear up listening to it, Gary just thinks he prefers Ed Sheeran.

"He really wrote that?" Sheila can't believe it.

"We think he did! I think they must have had some sort of disagreement. Oh and he got a dedication for her on Forever FM."

" Really? What did he say? " Sheila's a romantic at heart and is loving this!

"He said, "Nobody puts Kayleigh in the corner" and then got them to play that Marillion song. It was so lovely!"

Gary is baffled. This is definitely a chick flick! "What does it mean though?" He looks at his mum and auntie as if they've both gone mad.

"It means he loves her, he's telling her he loves her!" Cath is incredulous that he doesn't know this. " What have you been teaching him?"

Gary intervenes, "So you want the song over the photo's?"

" Yes, with whatever other wizardry you can do. Shall we leave you to it? " Cath smiles an affectionate smile at him.

"Yes, it shouldn't take me long Auntie Cath."

Cath and Sheila take themselves off to the kitchen for a family catch up leaving Gary with Cath's phone and laptop. Gary is really very good at these videos, he regularly posted them for his favourite tv shows. He downloads the software to his auntie's laptop and started going through the photo's. It wasn't long before he had ordered them and added the music and additional embellishments.

In the kitchen Cath is filling Sheila in on the love story that's been the sole topic of conversation since Rick and Donna's engagement. 

"So how come you got hold of the song?" Sheila asks.

" Kayleigh came in with a Walkman and kept singing the Car Share buddy part all day. Diane managed to record it onto her phone."

"Oh no! What will they think to this going public?" Sheila doesn't know either of them but wonders if this is a bit too out there. "Have they announced they are a couple yet?"

" No but it's common knowledge! Kayleigh will love it... John, well judging by his reaction to the last one, Kayleigh 'll talk him round."

"I'm done!" Gary shouts from the other room.

Cath and Sheila go and watch the video that he's put together. They both feel emotional hearing the song again but this time with some lovely photo's of John and Kayleigh gliding in and out of the screen ending with a big love heart with the photo Barry had taken of them kissing in the middle of it.  
Sheila and Cath look at each other.

"That"s just perfect, our Gary. Thank you!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cath Hilton releases the video to Come Back my Car Share Buddy. John doesn't react very well. He has other problems to deal with.

The next day John and Kayleigh arrive at work feeling more settled now they had figured out what was going on. The air of anticipation that was building exponentially throughout the store, once Cath had let it be known that something would be sent round to everyone just after five, was entirely missed by Kayleigh and John. John's day was taken up with meetings with suppliers and Kayleigh was preoccupied trying to plan something nice for John.

Once they had driven out of the store, Alexa, who was standing in her normal place in the smokers' shelter, texted up to Cath Hilton the thumbs up emoji. It was the pre-arranged signal to let Cath know to let her nephew know to post his video on You Tube. Cath and Diane had had a vigorous debate about whether to give John and Kayleigh a preview of the video before it went on line. But they'd decided that if they did John would only veto it. So at the signal, Cath texted Gary and he posted the video. Cath then sent the link round and waited for the response.

The store staffs' phones went off in unison and those that could went to the link as soon as they could. There was a range of reactions, from the laughing and taking the piss of the warehouse lads to the tears and aww's that was most of the women's reactions. There were many many I told you so's.  
John and Kayleigh were headed towards the drive thru when their phones went off.

"What's this now?" John asks, handing Kayleigh his phone after she has confirmed that she'd been sent another link by Cath Hilton. John pulls into a parking space having collected their brews, and they watch as Kayleigh opens the link on John's phone.

Kayleigh opens the link and the familiar notes of John's song fill the car as photo's of the pair of them move across the screen. Kayleigh is torn between being delighted and horrified. She claps her hand, not holding John's phone, over her mouth and sneaks a peak at John.

John has gone deathly white and is entirely silent. His eyes have gone wide and glassy and he doesn't look at Kayleigh. When the video is over he just sits with his head in his hands, leaning against the steering wheel trying to control his breathing. Kayleigh doesn't know what to do. She touches John on the arm but he pulls away without acknowledging her presence at all. They sit there in silence until John just starts the car and drives off in the direction of Bury. 

The silence in the car is only broken by their phones going off. Kayleigh puts John's phone in the front storage compartment and scrolls through the messages that are accumulating on her phone as her colleagues start to text her about the video they have just watched. She keeps glancing at John, who's determinedly looking straight ahead with a stony expression. She is starting to worry. They have had the odd spat but they have usually had a bit of an argument then it had all blown over. She had never seen him so angry. He had never ignored her or refused to acknowledge her presence. He couldn't be thinking she was responsible for this? 

As John pulled up and parked outside Mandy's he just waited for her to get out, without looking at her again. Kayleigh is very close to tears by now, she tries once last time.

"I didn't do this John! I swear I knew nothing about this!"

Getting no response, Kayleigh gets out of the car, closes the door quietly and with one last sad look at John, walks straight past Steve and goes into the house. Without so much as a sideways glance, John drives off.

John and Kayleigh 's phones continue to go off, his is making his head throb even more and he just reaches down and turns it off before driving himself home on autopilot.

Kayleigh manages to hold herself together until she sees Mandy, then she just flings her arms around her and cries her eyes out. Mandy is somewhat taken aback to say the least. Kayleigh hasn't done this since she was about fifteen over some scumbag lad or other. Mandy can't get any sense out of her, so shoo's the kids out of the kitchen and sits Kayleigh down at the kitchen table and makes her a brew. Kayleigh is still too upset to say anything, she takes Mandy's tablet off the side and just hands it to her to show her the video. 

Mandy has heard Kayleigh singing snatches of something but she is totally gobsmacked at what she's seeing and hearing. 

"Frig-a-dig our kid! What's this? This is you and John! Who's this singing? Is it Gary Barlow? It's bloody lovely!" 

"It's John! He wrote it for me after we had our falling out. He's not very good at expressing his feelings.... "

"He's doing a damn fine job so far!" Mandy is very impressed.

"He's done a very good job tonight! He hasn't spoken to me since we opened the link at the drive thru."

" What not at all? " Mandy can't believe it.

"He won't even look at me Mandy! He wanted his song to be kept private, you know just between us. And I've tried hard, I really have! I haven't even told you! Now he thinks I had something to do with it. I swear I didn't, Mandy! What am I going to do if he won't even talk to me?" Kayleigh bursts into tears again.

"It'll be OK Kayleigh. He'll calm down. Once he realises it wasn't you. Who was it do you think?" 

Kayleigh is not at all convinced by her sister's optimism.

"I have no idea! I have never seen him so angry! I don't think he will ever forgive me! What am I going to do?"

" Why don't you phone him and explain?" Mandy suggests.

Kayleigh gets her phone out of her bag. There are now over thirty messages waiting on her phone, but none from John. She rings his number and it goes straight to voicemail. She tries again. Same result. She doesn't leave a message.

Mandy shrugs, "He'll answer when he's good and ready. Go and get changed and I'll get you some dinner. And try not to worry. He loves you! Listen to his song! He loves you!"

While Kayleigh is upstairs Mandy picks up Kayleigh's phone and rings John herself and gives him a piece of her mind for free.

"Now you listen John and you listen good. This is Kayleigh's sister Mandy. I get that you're upset but right now I'm more worried about our Kayleigh. She's in pieces here because you won't talk to her! What are you five? She didn't have anything to do with that video, so you'd better get you're head out of your arse and call her soon!"

Mandy rings off when she hears Kayleigh coming back down the stairs.

"Right Kayleigh love, glass of wine?" Mandy opens a bottle of red and starts dealing with dinner. " I suggest we don't talk about this for a while, let the dust settle."

Kayleigh nods, even though she'll not be speaking about it, it won't be far from her mind. She keeps glancing at her phone, which is laying sadly on the side, looking as forlorn as she is feeling.

As much as Kayleigh sits with Mandy willing there to be a message from John, there isn't one and she goes to bed holding her phone, hoping that there will be a message from him in the morning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kayleigh's reaction to the video is not what everything thinks. John requests some time off. Cath and Diane begin to think they should have kept the video to themselves. Kayleigh is convinced it's the end for her and John.

Waking up early in the morning, Kayleigh looks at her phone as her first reflex. She has forty-odd unread messages, none of which were from John. With her head banging, Kayleigh gets to the bathroom first for a change and gets ready for work. She wanders downstairs for a brew and leaves with only a shake of her head to Mandy. There's no point waiting for John to pick her up, she'll be making her way in on her own from now on, she thinks. Her journey by bus and tram seemed longer than ever, the mass of humanity surrounding her did not improve her headache or mood.

Reaching work, Kayleigh headed for the breakroom to stow her belongings in her locker. She's greeted by a sea of people, all wanting to see her reaction to the video, expecting there to be a big announcement. One look at Kayleigh's face left everyone wondering what on earth had happened. Kayleigh saw the faces of her colleagues fall. She was in no mood to speak to anyone, so she put her head down and went to her locker, put her handbag in, fluffed her hair, and walked out. The initial silence that fell after Kayleigh first left was soon replaced by whispers and nudges and then loud speculation.

Diane was part of the throng that witnessed Kayleigh's not so triumphal entrance. Her heart fell at the look on Kayleigh's face. She was never one to hide her feelings, and her heartbreak and anguish was written all over it. Diane takes a quick walk to the back door, takes a peer out and doesn't see John's replacement car. The bad feeling she had increasing, she goes up to see Cath Hilton to see if she knows what's going on.

Cath is just finishing a phone call when Diane knocks on her partially opened door. She hears the tail end of her conversation, "OK, John, that won't be a problem. Thanks for letting me know. I'll pass that on to Dave Thompson. OK, bye."

Cath ushers Diane in with a worried look on her face. Diane raises her eyebrows but Cath shakes her head. Diane understands from that little gesture that it's a professional matter that she can't discuss.

"Stay there, Diane, I just need to pop in and see Dave a minute, won't be long."

Cath goes next door, has a quick word with Dave Thompson and them comes back to sit at her desk. 

"What's going on Cath? I've just seen Kayleigh. She looks devastated."

" John has just phoned in and has requested some time off for a "family emergency." I've just had Dave Thompson sign it off." 

"Did he say what this emergency was? And do we believe him? " Diane isn't convinced.

"No he didn't. You know I couldn't say even if he did." Diane nods, " You know John, straight as a die, he sounded genuine enough . He sounded really upset actually."

"Did he say anything about the video?"

" No, no he didn't. I'm beginning to think we should have done it just for them."

"Kayleigh wasn't exactly all smiles this morning like I expected. I wonder if this "family emergency" is why she's so upset? " Diane muses. "Anyway, I'd best get off, I'll see you for lunch?"

" Yes, half twelve? " Cath has already turned her mind to her work for the day, making a mental note to catch up with Kayleigh at some point.

Mid morning, Cath has to have a word with Joyce Chung about her forthcoming holiday request, so instead of asking Joyce to come up to her office, goes down to the shop floor to have a quick word as Joyce goes for her break. This way she could see Kayleigh without it being too obvious. Having confirmed a few details with Joyce, Cath approaches Kayleigh's promotional stand without being observed. Although Kayleigh is trying hard to put on a brave face, Cath can see what Diane means, Kayleigh looks properly devastated.

"Alright Kayleigh love?" Cath asks sympathetically.

Kayleigh looks up but says nothing. Cath thinks it's best not to say anything further whilst Kayleigh is still on the shop floor. 

"Pop in for a cuppa when you go for your break?" Cath offers.

Kayleigh says nothing but nods slightly and turns to a customer who has just approached her stand.

Half an hour later Kayleigh appears at Cath Hilton's office door. Cath looks up from her computer screen and motions for Kayleigh to come in and take a seat. Cath gets up and goes to the little kitchen to make them both a brew, comes back in and sits back down in a seat next to Kayleigh.

"What's happened Kayleigh?" 

Kayleigh just shakes her head and stares at her cup.

"Has something happened to John?" 

" I don't know, he hasn't spoken to me since you sent that link round last night."

"He didn't bring you in this morning?"

"I just said didn't I? We were at the drive thru to look at your link. He went white when he saw it, and then didn't say another word, just dropped me off and drove off. I've never seen him so angry. He must've turned his phone off, I was trying to get hold of him all last night." Kayleigh's tone is flat as she's on the verge of tears again.

" Why would he have reacted like that? " Cath realises that she has misjudged John's reaction very badly.

" John wrote that song for me. He told me over and over that it was private, even though I told him it was a good as any Gary Barlow and he should release it. " Kayleigh pauses, " He's not very good at expressing himself in words, so he told me he loves me through his song. Well I don't know about now though, it's probably put the kibbosh on all that now. " Kayleigh just looks unbearably sad.

"So you don't know what his family emergency is?"

" What? What emergency? " Kayleigh is starting to panic now.

"He phoned in this morning to request some time off for a family emergency. I thought that's why you looked unhappy."

" I expect he just wants to be far away from me! He thinks I had something to do with that video. I must have done, I was the only one who had his song! But I don't understand it! I never even told our Mandy!" 

Kayleigh starts to cry again seeing no way that John will ever forgive her. Cath sighs...God this is a mess, she thinks.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John's day goes from bad to worse. An emergency visit to the hospital and John's mum talks sense.

John has had twelve hours from hell. He'd been literally struck dumb by the video of his song. He couldn't bloody believe it! After all he'd said, Kayleigh had shared his song and now it was on You Tube for all the world to see. How could she do this? He could hear the blood whooshing around his brain as he tried to get his breathing under control. He thought he was on the verge of passing out such was his distress. He rested his head against the steering wheel of his replacement Honda until he got his breathing under control. He didn't know what he felt most; anger, betrayal, embarrassment, humiliation, mortification. They were all there swirling round and round like those vortex clouds that turn into twisters on the American plains that suck up everything in their paths and fling them out miles away.

Finally under more control, John starts the car and drives in silence to Bury to drop Kayleigh off. He can't bear to look at her or hear her excuses. He'd rather not say anything at all until his temper is under control. He is well aware of his short temper and doesn't trust himself to speak. Kayleigh tries to speak, but he's not interested. He just wants to get home and hide and truth be told have a cry. His misery is accompanied by the continued chirping of his phone as he receives one message after another. It's like woodpeckers pecking away at his brain, shredding away at the last of his control. He picks up his phone and decisively turns it off. Whoever it is can just bloody well wait! 

Arriving home, he hurries inside and locks the door. The thought of food turns his stomach so he goes upstairs and runs himself a hot bath. He literally wants to wallow in his own misery. Stripping off his work clothes and leaving them strewn about his bedroom, he walks naked into his bathroom and gingerly lowers himself into the steaming hot water, where he's poured about half a bottle of lavender bubble bath. He sits for a few minutes adjusting to the temperature, letting the tears finally flow. The anger he's feeling is being soaked away by the near scalding water until he's predominantly left feeling let down and sad. The same thought kept going round his head, why would Kayleigh share his song when she knows how important it is to him for it to remain between them? Another thought occurs to him. Who did she share it with who knew how to do those videos? And finally, why would she do it when she had agreed to take things slow for a while to allow him to catch up? Oh and where did those photo's come from?  
John can make no sense of it all. He lays back, mostly submerged, for he doesn't know how long, until there's a great deal of thudding on his front door.

"What the bloody hell?" John is no mood to speak to anyone and intends to sit tight until whoever it is buggers off. The thudding continues, until his brother Paul shouts through the letter box.

"John! John! Are you OK? I need to come in John! Open this bloody door or I swear to God I'll put my shoulder to it!"

Reluctantly, John hauls himself out of his tub, he's got one of those nice ones with the taps in the middle and a roll top, but without bothering to dry himself, pulls on his towelling bath robe. Steps into his slippers and goes down stairs.

"Can't a man have a bath in peace?" He shouts at his brother as he opens the front door.

" Why the frig are you not answering your phone? We've all been trying to get hold of you for the last hour! "

"If it's about that bloody video I don't want to hear it!" John is starting to lose his rag.

" What are you pappin' on about? Nana's had an accident at mine and she's been taken to hospital in an ambulance. "

Paul finally draws breath and takes a proper look at his brother. It's not a pretty sight. John is wet under his robe and the water from his hair is running down his face. He's very red, presumably because he's been laying in a bath as hot as the surface of the sun, always has liked to burn his arse off the daft git. On closer inspection John looks very much as if he has been crying. 

"What's happened to you? You smell like you've been to a brothel at an old folks home! "

"Never mind me! What's happened to Nana? Here, come and tell me while I put some clothes on." 

John leads the way back up the stairs to his bedroom. Paul follows along, shutting the front door behind him. Grabbing a towel, John dries himself off and dresses while Paul perches on his bed.

"Nana was round at ours for her supper and decided to try out Ben and Sophie's new bean bag! John had bought them each a bean bag so they had their own seats to watch their telly programmes.

"I bloody told her she'd never get out of it again, but would she listen?! No she gets stuck doesn't she? Ben and Sophie are rolling about laughing until there's a nasty snap and she's rolling about in agony because she's broken her hip. "

"Oh my God!" John hurries himself to get ready.

"I can't move her and she passes out from the pain and hits her head. "

"Did you call an ambulance?" John asks unnecessarily.

"Of course I bloody did! Got mum to come round to go with her in the ambulance, I've got Ben and Sophie in the car. Been trying to get hold of you for the last hour! What's with all this?"

John is in no mood to tell his usually less than sympathetic brother about his own heartbreak, so shrugs off the enquiry. "Just had a bad day. Wanted a bit of peace and bloody quiet and a bath that's all! " John picks up his wallet, keys and phone and with a nod heads off out the door, turning off the lights behind him.

At the hospital, John finds his mum sat in A&E waiting for news. Nana Rose has been taken in to X Ray for her hip and a scan on her head. John has driven the mile or so to Bolton Hospital so he could drive him and his mum home later. Paul with Ben and Sophie arrive at about the same time.

"Alright mum?" John says as he kisses her and sits down next to her.

" What happened to you? "

" Oh I'll tell you later. Any news? "

"She's just in X Ray now. Then we have to wait for someone to tell us what they are going to do." She's looking very stressed but is relieved now that John's arrived.

" Do you want me to get you a brew mum? You look like you need one? "

"No, I'll wait to see what they say John, thanks."

When Paul and the kids arrive, they are kept busy with keeping them occupied and distracted so the time they have to wait doesn't seem too bad. Finally a female doctor who looks like she's in her mid thirties calls for the family of Rose Redmond and ushers them into a side room.

Dr. Richardson gives them a reassuring smile. "So we have given Mrs Redmond an X Ray and as you can see she has broken her femur just here."  
She shows them the image on her computer screen. "It 's a clean break fortunately. She'll have to have an operation in the next few hours to get that pinned."

"Will she recover from that?" The younger Mrs Redmond asks , "I mean will she walk again?"

" With some physio and a walking frame there's no reason at this stage why she shouldn't be up and about in a week or so. "

The Redmonds all breathe a sigh of relief.

"However," Dr Richardson continues, " the bump to her head is more of a concern. " Showing them another image, they can see what they are told is a subdural haematoma, a bleed to the head. " we need to keep a close eye on this and will be giving her scans to keep this monitored. It doesn't look as if she's in too much danger now, and ordinarily we wouldn't want to operate with this bleed. But we have no choice, we have to operate with forty -eight hours of the break if Mrs Redmond is to regain useful function. "

Mrs Redmond has gone very quiet with the shock.

John speaks up. "When will she have her operation?"

"Oh she's on the list for tonight, the sooner the better with the head trauma. We'll just be getting Mrs Redmond ready to transfer to Orthopaedics in the next few minutes. You can stay with her until she goes down to theatre. " 

She smiles at them kindly. No matter how many times she does this she knows it's the first time for many people so she's careful to explain everything as simply and honestly as possible.

"Thank you doctor." The Redmonds say as they are guided back out to the waiting area.

"We'll just say hello to Nana and then I'd better get these two home to bed." Paul says to his mum and brother.

"It's OK, our Paul, we'll stay, won't we John?"

"Of course mum. You get off Paul. I'll call you when there's any news."

" Aye, OK. I hope you've turned your bloody phone on! See you later mum!" 

Paul kisses his mum and herds Ben and Sophie out the door to the car.  
John hasn't turned his phone on, but at Paul's suggestion, turns it back on. John's mum is astonished as John's phone bursts into life with much chirping as his unread messages notifications keep on coming.

"You seem popular today John. Why did you turn your phone off? You never do that! Looks like someone is trying to get hold of you. Is it your friend Kayleigh? "

John doesn't answer but looks desolate. John's mum has seen him upset before when Charlotte left and when his dad died, but somehow this was worse.

"I know I'm not your dad, but I'm here when you're ready. "

John's eyes have gone a bit watery, he just nods and closes his eyes. Two porters come past with Rose on a trolley and are taking taking her off to the Orthopaedic ward. Rose looks small and frail and lost. John takes his mum's hand and they follow on behind feeling lost themselves.

Over the next few hours Rose is prepped for surgery and taken down. There is nothing for John and his mum to do but wait. They are naturally anxious but gradually calm down as they realise there is nothing they can do. John goes off in search of the vending machines as it's too late for the canteen to be open. He comes back with something that called itself tea and some chocolate and crisps. He wishes he had eaten when he got in but with all his upset he was going to grab a sandwich later.

As they sit there John begins to tell his mum about Kayleigh. How things have progressed between them culminating with his song and what had happened with the video. His mum had tears in her eyes. She could tell how much he loves Kayleigh and how hurt and disappointed he is. John hands her his phone so she can play the video while he goes off for a walk to pull himself together. When he gets back ten minutes later his mum is looking at him with so much love that he just goes to hug her.

"Oh John! That is so beautiful! Who did it? Not Kayleigh surely? I thought you said you gave this to her on cassette tape. Nobody has those any more!"

John thinks about it for a minute. "No, I doubt Kayleigh would have done this. I don't think she would know how. "

"John, why would she have done this? From the sounds of it, she really loves you. Do you really think she would embarrass you like this? Honestly?"

" I didn't think so mum. Apart from you, she's the one person I trust. We tell each other things. "

"Then perhaps you should give her the benefit of the doubt. Let her explain. She said she didn't do it. Would she lie to you?"

John shakes his head. "No I don't think she would lie. Have I messed things up again?"

" No John! She'll understand. But you can't let the girl think you blame her. You need to talk to her soon. "

John just nods and closes his eyes. He's suddenly so exhausted, he just wants to go and lay down and hold Kayleigh until he falls asleep. But he knows he cannot leave his mum and his nana so he stays and gives her his silent support.

Towards dawn, a doctor comes to see them to let them know that Rose was in recovery. They had had to move her down the list as there was a couple who had been in a car accident who needed surgery more urgently. There was nothing they could do so were gently advised to go home and ring back later.

"Are you going to stay John?"

" Yeah mum, I will. We can have a sleep and come in later. "

They arrive at the family home, the kettle goes on as does the bacon. John's mum takes herself off to bed, leaving John at the kitchen table thinking things through. At ten to nine he phones Cath Hilton to request a few days off. Once done he goes off to his old room and falls asleep almost immediately. His mum could always be relied upon to talk sense. He couldn't deal with the whole video/Kayleigh thing until he'd had some sleep and could think straight.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kayleigh agrees to meet John, but will they make up?

After four hours sleep, John drifted back to consciousness wondering for a moment why he was in his old bedroom and feeling like shit. He could hear his mum talking quietly downstairs and smell something being cooked. He realises it's after one o'clock and although his eyes still feel gritty, probably from the crying he thinks, he does feel more rested. He gets dressed and wanders off downstairs to find his mum.

Having gone to bed after her cuppa and bacon sandwich, she's had a couple more hours sleep than John. She has already phoned the hospital and then Paul and half the family to let them know how Rose is getting on. 

"Hiya love. Brew?" she asks, flicking the kettle on.

"Yeah please. Any news?" 

"Nana's out of recovery and back on the ward. They say we can go and see her later. I was so worried John! She's not getting any younger! What was she doing sitting in a bean bag anyway? "

"Paul told her but she wouldn't listen. Apparently she was doing OK 'til her knees locked. "

"We'll need to pop into her place to get her some bits first. "

"Aye we can do that." John agrees.

" Have you had a chance to have a little think? " 

"Yeah I had to stay up so I could ring Cath Hilton. I've requested a few days off."

"Have you spoken to Kayleigh yet?"

" No, she'll be at work. " John's dreading it really. He has no idea how to start this particular conversation.

"Why don't you see if there's a message from her?" She says nodding towards his phone that he has come downstairs holding.

John scrolls through his texts. They are mostly about the video, several from Paul telling him to call and one from Kayleigh. I'm sorry xxx is all she said. Looking on his log of missed calls, there's plenty from his mum and Paul and one from Kayleigh. He plays it but instead hears the message from Mandy. This makes him feel even worse.

"You need to contact her John. Don't let this carry on."

John picks up his phone as another text alert sounds. It's from Kayleigh: I heard about your family emergency. I hope everything is OK xxx

John is relieved. He texts back: I'm sorry. Nana had an accident. Been at hospital all night. Can I see you later? xxx

There's a long pause while presumably Kayleigh is thinking of her response. After a few minutes she responds: Sure. After work? xxx

John texts back: Can I pick you up? xxx

Meet me where you picked me up from tram. You're better off staying away from work today xxx

OK see you later. Thank you xxx

John smiles for the first time in what feels like days. 

"Everything alright?" John's mum can see how relieved he is and smiles.

" I'm going to pick Kayleigh up after work. "

"See, I told you love! Hey I had a thought. Is there a way of finding out who posted the video?"

"Why didn't I think of that?" John goes to the video and looks up the author. He finds that they have posted many videos, scrolling down finds the one of him and the cyclist.

"Well frig me!" John says. He hadn't told his family about this other source of humiliation. "Who the bloody hell is this?"

John's mum puts a plate of food in front of him. "Thought you'd be hungry, you didn't eat much yesterday."

" Thanks mum. We'll go round to Nana's after this so we can spend a couple of hours at the hospital before I need to go and meet Kayleigh ."

John's mum bustles around until John has finished eating. They drive round to his Nana's warden-controlled flat. John's mum pulls the emergency cord to speak to Dougie on the other end of the emergency line.

"Alright Mrs Redmond?"

" It's Rose's daughter-in-law Dougie. "

"Oh hiya Mrs Redmond. Everything OK? "

"Just to let you know Rose had an accident at our Paul's yesterday. She's in hospital Dougie. Me and our John are just on our way in to see her."

" I'm sorry to hear that. I'll make a note. Give her my regards would you? "

"Yes I will Dougie." She's brought a bag and is filling it with things she thinks Rose will need. 

Going into Rose's bedroom and bathroom, collecting necessary items until she's satisfied she's got everything she might need for her stay in hospital. Pronouncing herself ready they go back to John's car and drive the short distance to the hospital.

Rose is laying in bed looking groggy when John and his mum arrive in the Orthopaedic ward. 

"Hiya Nana. How ya feeling?" John kisses her gently on the cheek.

" I've felt better John. " 

They stay with Rose for couple of hours. Rose mostly dozes but she's pleased that they're with her. John gives his mum a significant look signalling that it's time to go.

"We'll come in to see you again tomorrow, Rose love."

" Aye, take care of yourself Nana. Behave yourself! " John tells her chuckling.

"Well she seemed to brighten up John. The company's done her good."

" Aye it has that. I'll come back round to your's for a bit if that's OK. "

"Of course, John. And you can tell me about your song writing. You've kept that quiet!"

" Well I tried to! " John replies ruefully.

At just after five John is parked in the spot he's parked in a couple of times before. Except this time he's not in his red Fiat and he's even more at sea with Kayleigh than ever. He had no idea what to say, how to start, whether she would even listen. But there she was walking round the corner just as she had said. 

John got out and waited, looking across the road allowing every emotion he was feeling to show on his face. They smiled at each other as Kayleigh crossed the road. John just opened his arms and Kayleigh walked into them, her arms going round his waist and head resting on his shoulder. Their "I'm sorry's" were said and accepted. 

"Hey come round to mine?" John asks gently. 

Kayleigh nods before letting go of John and getting into the car. They don't speak on the way to John's but unlike yesterday it was a comfortable silence. Neither wanted to begin a conversation in the car. This needed to be done face to face, however difficult it was going to be. It was going to be make or break and they both knew it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Kayleigh talk things through.

"Right, we're here!" John announces as he pulls up outside his house. 

They sit without moving for a minute or two until John unbuckles his seat belt and says, "shall we?"

" OK yes. " Kayleigh is nervous about what the next few hours will bring.

John is equally nervous but leads the way with as much confidence as he can manage. 

"Would ya like a brew Kayleigh?" John needs to keep himself busy.

" Yes please, John. Hey I just want to say this. " Kayleigh says turning to him as they stand in his kitchen. "I know you're upset. But I swear I didn't share your song with anyone. I've been wracking my brains how anyone could have got hold of it. But I swear it wasn't me." She takes his hand, " I love that you wrote it for me, I didn't even tell Mandy. "

John keeps hold of her hand and looks her in the eye. "I'm sorry I reacted like that Kayleigh. I think I went into shock or something. I'll be honest, I felt humiliated and betrayed. I couldn't believe that you'd do that but I couldn't figure out how it could've happened if it wasn't you."

Kayleigh goes to interrupt but John shakes his head slightly and goes on. 

" I'm sorry I blanked you. That wasn't fair. I just didn't want to say anything we 'd both regret. I turned my phone off as the bastard thing kept chiming at me with message after message. I got home and soaked in a hot bath til our Paul came banging my door down telling me about Nana's accident. "

"What happened to your Nana John? You said you'd been to the hospital?"

" She broke her hip trying to get out of a bean bag at our Paul's then banged her head. Can you bloody believe it? They'd all been trying to get hold of me the one time I turn it off! " John makes their tea and takes it through to his front room.

"How is she now John?" Kayleigh worries for the elderly lady who means so much to John that she hasn't even met yet.

" Me and mum were at hospital all night. They operated on her hip and are monitoring the bleed on her brain. It's been a bloody nightmare. But at least I had time to tell mum all of this. "

"What did she say John?" 

" Well she cried when she saw the video, daft mare! " John chuckles fondly, " She asked me whether I honestly thought you would or could do it. "

"And?" Kayleigh knows that his answer to this is important .

" Honestly. No. I had asked you not to and I can't believe you would. You said we could take things slow. And besides, you still like your music on cassette tape, I don't think you know how to do videos do you? "

Kayleigh laughs, "No I do not!"

" No I didn't think so! When I looked at it again, the video was done by the same user as that cyclist one! And I know you didn't do that! " 

Kayleigh breathes a sigh of relief. "Do you forgive me?"

" There's nothing to forgive is there? I hope you can forgive me for how I behaved? "

" I can John as long as you promise not to give me the silent treatment again! "

"I'll try, Kayleigh. I've got a terrible temper sometimes. I don't want to take it out on you. "

"Here come over here!" Kayleigh motions for John to join her on the sofa. 

"Isn't it about time you let someone take care of you?" Kayleigh gives him a hug, stroking his head as he's holding her.

John relaxes for the first time in a very long day. He's soaking up all the comfort that Kayleigh is giving him, feeling all the worry and anger and doubt float away. Eventually he shifts so he can look at her properly. 

"Thank you," he says, " for still giving me another chance even when I'm behaving like a prick! " 

"Thank me by ordering a take away and then we can have a little think about this video." Kayleigh says with a sweet smile.

With the Chinese ordered and the plates in the oven, John and Kayleigh settle back to relax while waiting for their meal to arrive.

"Who do you think is behind the video then?" Kayleigh asks.

John has been giving this some thought. "It's got to be someone from work. Most of the photo's come from work events or taken at work. "

"Now we know why they all had their phones out! I bet they were all in on it!"

" Hmm I think you're right!" John agrees. " How did they get hold of my song though?"

"That's what I don't understand" Kayleigh says puzzled. "I had your Walkman with me all day." Kayleigh 's thought of something. " Oh except when I had to go up to see Cath Hilton about my holiday request. I left it hidden in my stand. I suppose someone could have taken it then. "

John thinks they are getting somewhere at last. "You did say you 'd been singing it all day. Someone must've heard ya! "

"Oh John! I'm so sorry! I should have been more careful."

"Hey it's not your fault! You didn't steal someone's Walkman, record the song, collect all those photo's, make the video and then post it!"

" Keeping things just between us didn't last long John did it? "

"I should have expected that we couldn't have kept it a secret for long. They're nosey bastards the lot of them!" John shakes his head.

"They are! What do you want to do now?" 

John raises his eyebrows suggestively at her and chuckles.

"Not that! Naughty! I meant about the video, about work?"

" I've still got tomorrow off. Hopefully Nana will be out of the woods by then. I can go and visit her after work til she comes home. Let's say nothing at work for now. I'll have a think about what we might do. " 

Clearing away the last of their debris from their take away, John turns to Kayleigh and says, "I 'll take you home in a minute if that's alright? I'm absolutely shattered! I got about four hours sleep when we got back from the hospital. 

"Of course John. Thank you for taking me back to Mandy's. I'm glad we've sorted things out." 

John goes to hug Kayleigh again and with her folded in his arms, "You know, in the middle of the night when we we're waiting for them to tell us that Nana had pulled through her operation, all I wanted to do was to lay down and hold you until I fell asleep." He squeezes her and buries his face in her hair and takes a deep breath.

Kayleigh is moved that John feels this way and squeezes him back.

"I wish I could have been there for you last night, John. Any time you want to do that, you just let me know. It seems like a lovely thing to do, just fall asleep together." 

Kayleigh is really glad that she had agreed for them to take things slow. Building trust on top of the strong friendship they already had like this was a special thing. She was aware that John had needs like every other man, but he just wanted to hold her to feel her comfort and love. Her heart swelled with love for him. 

"Take me home John, you'll fall down if you don't get some sleep soon."

" I wish you could stay," he says sighing, "but I'll just get my keys."

"Maybe I can see you at the weekend? I'd like to visit Nana Rose in the hospital if that would be OK?"

John is delighted, "I'd love that and so would Nana!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kayleigh tells Cath Hilton that she thinks John has a stalker.
> 
> Nana Rose isn't doing too good.
> 
> John has something to ask Kayleigh.

John managed to drop Kayleigh off and get home by ten o'clock. He went straight to bed having spoken to his mum on the way home. They had agreed to go back to the hospital after lunch tomorrow, which would give themselves a chance to turn themselves round after the last stressful day. John told his mum about his evening with Kayleigh and how they had sorted themselves out. He also told her about Kayleigh wanting to visit Rose at the weekend.

"She's a keeper, John. Don't you let her go! Hey did you have any more thoughts about the video? "

"We think someone must've taken the Walkman from Kayleigh's stand when she went up to Cath Hilton, recorded my song and then put it back. Only thing it can be. Kayleigh thinks it's her fault, but it isn't. What business is it of any bugger to be doing that?"

"Agreed. But you must admit it's a lovely video, John. Sort of thing people do when they get engaged. Perhaps whoever it was thought either you were already engaged or were soon going to be? You're not are you?"

John is exasperated. "Did you listen to nothing I've told ya? We've only been car sharing for three months! We've only just agreed to take things slow! You're right mum, Kayleigh is a keeper, but we need to do this to our timescale not to when everybody else thinks we should!" 

"OK John, you're right. I expect everyone's just excited for you!"

"Everyone's nosey bastards more like, just want to know the gory details! Not that there are any!"

"And even if there were you wouldn't be telling me!" laughter fills the car.

" No I would not. I'm trying really hard to be a gentleman mum, so I don't need any pressure from you!"

"I'll see you tomorrow, John. Get some sleep! Don't be up all night texting Kayleigh!"

" I'm not twelve! See ya tomorrow!"

John did text Kayleigh after he'd gone to bed. Just to say goodnight. He fell asleep with his phone in his hand very much happier than he had been last night.

Kayleigh had got home to a brief interrogation by Mandy but she'd managed to forestall a lengthy discussion by going to bed soon after she got in. She was already in bed when she received John's text. This time yesterday she was almost beside herself believing her and John were done, tonight she was certain that they would be able to sort out this thing with the video and that they were becoming stronger for it.

The next day Kayleigh got up and went to work in a determined frame of mind. She was going to try to find out what had been going on without letting on that they knew. She had decided to let everyone think that she'd still not spoken to John in the hopes that someone would give something away. She texted John while she was in the bus to tell him her plan and to check that he had slept OK.

John woke very much more rested and feeling more able to cope. Most of this was to do with Kayleigh and their evening together. They would cope with Nana Rose's recovery as a family and he and Kayleigh would track down who'd done the video. He'd had another idea about that and went onto You Tube spending a few minutes carrying out his idea. Going into the bathroom John started humming to himself as he got ready for his day.

Over at the store Kayleigh had also started humming to herself. She regarded everyone with suspicion but was outwardly her usually pleasant if subdued self. Most of the time she had felt that John was too guarded with everyone but she could see that perhaps he had a point. If she was going to find anything out she was going to have to act as if she still hasn't spoken to John. To this end she stopped humming and put a worried and sad expression in her face.

She'd like a pound for every time someone came up to her with a sympathetic, "You OK, Kayleigh love?" After a morning of this her head was pounding and she didn't have to act how fed up she was feeling. Why couldn't every one keep their beaks out of everyone else's business?

Behind her back there was huge speculation as to what had gone wrong. Everyone knew that John wouldn't be keen to have his song broadcast so publicly but they thought that Kayleigh would be made up and would have persuaded him like she had with the cyclist. That she clearly wasn't was a shock. Some people even went so far as to start regretting getting involved in their love life when it increasingly looked as if it was over before it had begun. Those were the people who had asked Kayleigh how she was. 

Diane and Cath Hilton didn't know what to do. They had never anticipated this kind of reaction and regretted going public with the video. Whilst John was off work they had a bit of breathing space to decide how to handle it. Cath tried her best to catch up with Kayleigh whilst still trying to act casually. She manages to catch up with Kayleigh in the breakroom during her afternoon tea break.

"Hiya Kayleigh. How are you today?" Cath enquires.

" I'm OK, Cath thanks. " Kayleigh responds flatly.

"Have you heard from John?"

"I don't expect to now, Cath." This was true, she wasn't expecting to hear from John until after work.

" I'm so sorry Kayleigh. I'm sure you'll sort things out."

"Are you? I'm glad you're optimistic! Just tell me this, who would have done such a thing? I'm beginning to think someone must have it in for John. First the cyclist video and now this! Do you think he's got some twisted stalker going after him?"

Cath knows this isn't the case and tries to reassure Kayleigh without letting on. "I'm positive that's not the case, Kayleigh! The cyclist video was just a bit of fun wasn't it? And your song was so lovely, perhaps whoever did it thought they were giving you an engagement present." Cath suggests hopefully.

"But they made him look like a right knob rash in the first one! Engaged? We've not even been out yet! And someone has stolen his song, Cath! And they must have stolen my Walkman to record it. We've got a thief amongst us! I'm really worried. What if they go after John physically next time? " Kayleigh is laying it on thick, but she's warming to her theme. 

"I don't think so Kayleigh! I really don't think that anyone has got it in for John! Why would they? It's just a harmless prank that's all."

" Harmless? Harmless? " Kayleigh 's voice gets high pitched. " Harmless? Whoever it is has ruined our friendship and the prospect of anything more happening between us! So I hardly think you can call it harmless can you? Whatever the intention was!"

Kayleigh gets up from the table leaving Cath Hilton shaken. Kayleigh knows that Cath isn't one of the store gossips but she also knows that this little speech will get round the store. She hopes that even if it doesn't flush out whoever it was, they at least might have the decency to feel bad. She can't wait to finish work so she can talk to John and tell him about her little subterfuge and to find out how he's been and how Nana Rose is getting on.

Over at the hospital, John and his mum are worried to find Rose more out of it than she was the day before. Searching for a doctor, they are sat down and given the news that the bleed on Rose's brain looks as if it will need to be operated on if it doesn't start to clear in the next twenty-four hours. An operation at this stage would be risky and hoped to be avoided. In the meantime Rose was being given a light sedation to keep her settled. This is hardly good news and they wander off to the on-site Costa to digest the news.

"I think I'd better request some more time off." John muses, " Good job I have plenty of annual leave left."

"Pity you didn't have any time away booked with Kayleigh." 

" Mum! We're taking it slow remember?! "

"I'm not talking about a dirty weekend John! I'm just saying it would be nice for the two of you to have some time away on your own when all this," she waves her hand vaguely to indicate all this with Rose and the upset caused by the video, " has settled down. "

"I'll think about it, I think I can have the rest of the week off and with the weekend, hopefully that will be enough time." John is deep in thought. He likes his mum's suggestion more than he lets on and makes a mental note to start researching somewhere to take Kayleigh once all this has sorted itself out.

"I'd better give Cath Hilton a call to sort out my leave." John phones her straight away.

"Hello Cath, it's John. I need to request the rest of the week off as leave. "

"Is everything OK John?" Cath is by now distinctly alarmed.

" Aye, this is taking longer than I thought. It'll be alright after the weekend I hope. " John doesn't want to discuss his business in the middle of the hospital Costa.

"I hope this hasn't got anything to do with that video John!" Cath can't help herself but ask.

"It hasn't helped Cath. I don't want to talk about it, to be honest. I'll see you on Monday."

"Bye John, take care."

"Right that's done. Oh bugger! I've just remembered! Me and Jim have got a gig in Burnley on Saturday."

"You can still do that John. We'll be OK if you take the day off from the hospital. Paul and the kids will be able to visit in the afternoon."

" Are you sure mum? If Nana's really ill, I won't want to be traipsing over to Burnley let alone sing."

"It'll be good for you John. Why don't you ask Kayleigh to go with you? Then you could still visit Rose when you get back."

" That's not a bad idea, I'll see if Kayleigh 's free. " John brightens up at the thought of spending some time with Kayleigh.

They go back up to visit with Rose until they seem to have worn her out. John drops his mum back home and heads on to his home where he breathes a sigh of relief to finally be home. The first thing he does he is go and run a bath. He loves his bath, it's his one indulgence and his source of comfort. Not his only source now, as Kayleigh has become his human comforter. After his soak John goes to sort his clothes out that he had left in his bedroom, hanging up his suit and sorting his washing. 

Going downstairs, John texts Kayleigh to ask her to call him once she's got home. He's excited to ask her about going to Burnley with him and wants to know what's been going on at work. He wonders whether anyone has noticed what he's done yet.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the week passes very slowly for everyone.
> 
> John and Kayleigh go to his gig in Burnley. 
> 
> Kayleigh mused on pretence.

Kayleigh couldn't wait to leave work, even more than usual. She receives the text from John on her way home on the bus. She sends him a message back to say she'll ring him later. While she's sat there Kayleigh thinks about how she's thoroughly sick of pretending. Pretending that her and John aren't together. Pretending that her and John aren't now speaking because of the video and pretending that she isn't head over heels for him. She just wishes that everyone would just butt out and leave them to it.

Getting home finally, Kayleigh wastes no time in changing and making herself a salad with her superfoods so she can escape up to her box bedroom to phone John. 

"Hiya. How you doing? What you up to?" Kayleigh 's excited to speak to John.

"Hello Kayleigh, I'm OK. How was your day?" John thinks that he's turning into such a sap as just saying her name makes him smile.

"It gave me a bad head John, all that sympathy. Did my head in!"

" Did you find anything out? "

"No but I did tell Cath Hilton that I thought you had a psycho stalker!"

John starts to laugh, "What apart from you you mean?"

" Here watch it you! Anyway how's Nana Rose? "

"Not so good. They said they might have to operate on her brain bleed if it doesn't start clearing in the next day or so. We're just waiting to see."

"I'm so sorry John, anything I can do? "

John loves that Kayleigh 's first thought is to help. " I was wondering if you're free on Saturday? " John's literally sitting with his fingers crossed.

"Yeah, I've got nothing on. Do you want me to go and see Nana Rose?"

" I've got a gig over in Burnley. I wondered if you'd like to go. We're playing at a Classic Car Show. It'll have lots going on. We could have a look round after we've finished then go and see Nana after. What do you reckon? "

"I'd love to John!" Kayleigh's doing her very familiar squeal down the phone.

"Hey! Mind me ear drums! I'm gonna need those if I'm going to hear what I'm playing!"

"Oi cheeky! Do you want me to come with you or not? "

This is when they are really enjoying themselves, this teasing thing that they do.

"I'll pick you up about ten if that's OK? We need to get there early to set up and sound check. "

"Hark at you Gary Barlow! All professional!"

" We're semi-pro, Kayleigh. That's why we get booked! We're not just some amateurs having a go! We've been doing this for years! "

"Alright! I'm only kidding! Can't wait! Do you want to hear what I told Cath Hilton?"

Kayleigh relates their conversation to John, who's sat chuckling listening to Kayleigh 's subterfuge.

"You're too good at this Kayleigh! You'll have turned it into an international conspiracy next!"

"What? I was just laying it on a bit thick that's all! It might teach whoever did it to mind their own business in future."

" I doubt it, but it's worth a try! Cath Hilton even asked me if my request for time off was to do with the video! "

"What did you say?"

" I told her it hasn't helped. Which is true. I was sat with mum in the middle of the hospital Costa at the time. I didn't want to go into my business in the middle of the piggin' hospital. "

"I can't wait for the weekend, John! "

The following two days felt very long for everyone. Without John appearing at work and Kayleigh remaining uncharacteristically tight-lipped, the gossip mill at the supermarket ground to rather an unceremonious halt. Cath Hilton and Diane kept a low profile, Cath deciding that when John returned to work she would have a quiet word with them both and apologise. She was devastated that she had been the cause of the upset between them. It was certainly not her intention.

Nana Rose meanwhile was making steady progress, so it was deemed that an operation wasn't going to be necessary. The Physio team had been round to get her up and about with a walking frame much to everyone's relief. It was going to be a long haul to get her home and back to how she was.

John missed Kayleigh. Even though they spoke in the evening, it wasn't the same as seeing her every day. He's calmed down considerably but still needed Kayleigh to help him laugh at himself and get things in proportion. He's also missing her hugs which had started out as comforting but to him had become more than that. He was the one that had begged to take things slowly, but in all honesty he didn't know how long he'd be able to keep that up.

Kayleigh missed John. She missed his physical presence beside her, his strength and his humour. She hoped that he would be back soon as travelling with the great unwashed of Manchester was starting to pall. 

Saturday came and it was one of those early September mornings when it was quite nippy to start off with but the forecast had said it was going to turn into a warm day. Kayleigh got up early, first into the bathroom meant she could spend a bit of extra time getting ready. She's also able to eat her breakfast in peace without the kid's noise to interrupt her good mood. She was pacing about in the front room when John pulled up outside. He had already been round to Jim's to help him load their gear into his van. Jim had made his way over to the park in Burnley where the Classic Car show was being held while John made a detour to Bury to pick up Kayleigh.

Kayleigh virtually sprinted out the front door when she spotted his car, calling goodbye as she went, eager to get to John and start their day. John was equally thrilled to see her, he'd been looking forward to seeing her for days. 

"It's supposed to be a lovely day today!" Kayleigh says without preamble.

"It is now!" John says grinning widely.

" Aww aren't you nice? " Kayleigh reaches across and kisses him on the cheek.

"Aren't I soppy more like! We'd best get going. Don't want Jim to have to unload the van by himself."

The short trip to Burnley was spent catching up and laughing. It didn't take them long to get to the site of the Car Show, park up and find Jim, who was stood by his van with a flask cup waiting for them. Jim raises his cup in salute as John and Kayleigh approach.

"Kayleigh this is Jim." John introduces them.

"Alright love?" Jim gives Kayleigh the once over. He was impressed, John had managed to pull himself a fit bird this time.

"Hello Jim, pleased to meet you." Kayleigh is not very sure that she is pleased to meet him but keeps that opinion to herself for John.

" You could help us unload the van love, if you like? " Jim smirks at John.

" Yes, where are we taking it to? " Kayleigh is eager to help not understanding Jim's oblique reference to a conversation he'd had with John not so long ago.

"You're OK, Kayleigh. We can manage. Why don't you go and find us a brew?" John is going to be having words with Jim!

Kayleigh looks at John doubtfully. She feels like she's being dismissed and doesn't like that too much. "OK if you want one John." 

John picks up on her tone and goes over and takes her hand. "Please? You can go and recce the catering stands for later! By the time you get back we'll have set up." He does that grin that she finds irresistible and she nods and grins back.

As Kayleigh wanders off, John turns on Jim. "Now is it too much to bloody ask that you treat Kayleigh with respect?"

" OK, OK, I get it. R E S P E C T. I can do that! " Jim laughs as they start taking the gear out of the van and into the marquee they're to be performing in. 

The field where the show is being held is busy with car, bike and other vehicle enthusiasts driving in and finding their allocated spot. The caterers and the other stall holders are setting up ready for the general public's entrance at eleven. Kayleigh has a wander round and finds a catering van already set up and buys her and John a brew and a bacon sandwich each.

She goes back to the marquee to give John his brunch. John and Jim are in the midst of sound checking their equipment. Kayleigh watches them from the entrance, she smiles fondly at John. She loves how professional he looks and how confident. Feeling Kayleigh's gaze John looks up and sees her watching him. The smile that lights up his face has not gone unnoticed by Jim. 

"Here John, I got you a bacon sarnie!"

"Thanks Kayleigh. I need this!"

" When do you not need bacon? " she teases. 

"You've got a point there!" John says with a mouthful of sandwich.

Jim is watching all this affectionate banter between John and Kayleigh. He's not seen John like this in a long while and it looks like he's certainly found someone who's fond of him but doesn't take him too seriously. 

"Where's mine?" Jim asks teasing Kayleigh.

"Sorry Jim, did you want me to go and get you one?" Kayleigh had only thought of John and feels a bit guilty . She doesn't want to come across as rude the first time she meets John's friend.

"No you're alright love. Just kidding you on!" Jim says chuckling.

"If you're sure? Hey what time are you playing?" As much as she wants to hear them play, she hopes that they won't be there all day. Although there are plenty of old vehicles parked up it's not really her thing so a peremptory look round will suffice for her.

"We're playing two half hour sets between half eleven and one." John says, " Then we can do what we want. They've got a Country band on this afternoon. "

"Good we can have a little look round and still have plenty of time to see Nana Rose." 

John and Jim have finished checking their equipment as Kayleigh finds herself a seat so she can watch them when they start their set. 

"Hey are you going to sing your song?" 

John knows that she means his Car Share Buddy song. He hasn't told Jim about it and actually doesn't want him to know. He'll only take the piss. 

"It's not the right audience to sing "In the City" more of a club song that! " John hopes Kayleigh will get the message.

"Oh I suppose it is. You going to do your covers?" Kayleigh's disappointed she'll hear neither of John's songs.

"Yes we'll be doing our modified wedding set." Jim remarks.

Kayleigh brightens up, "Will you be singing The Corrs?"

" The Corrs? " John says in mock outrage, " Wash your mouth out! That's Fleetwood Mac! "

"I'd rather Jack!"

" I bet you would!" John and Kayleigh laugh together at the replay of their conversation.

It's obvious to Jim that he's in the middle of something he doesn't understand by the way they are laughing together. He clears his throat to remind John that they are due to start playing soon. 

John goes back to the stage area, standing behind the keyboard, he thanks the small crowd that has wandered into the marquee and they start to play. Kayleigh is sat there very proud and impressed. As John and Jim song and play their way through their set list, the crowd in the marquee gets bigger as people gravitate towards the music. They really are good and Kayleigh joins in enthusiastically with the applause at the end of their first half hour. She goes up and kisses him on the cheek as John steps out from behind his keyboard.

"Well done! You were fantastic! I can see why you know all the words to the songs we sing in the car! You do a lot of them! How come you never told me? You dark horse!"

John chuckles modestly, "Don't want to blow my own trumpet!"

"You play that too? " Kayleigh looks at him thoroughly impressed.

"What?" John's looking perplexed.

" A trumpet! "

"No I don't! I was being modest!"

"Oh right. Well I'm so proud of you!"

John's looking very pleased and Jim also pleased with the praise albeit indirectly.

"Can you come to all of our gigs?" Jim chuckles, "We could do with a cheerleader!"

Jim's only half joking. The more he sees of Kayleigh the more he likes her and the more he likes the effect she's having on John.

"I'm going to have a little look round," Jim says, " I'll see you back here at half twelve."

"Right buddy, see you in a bit." He turns to Kayleigh , " Shall we? I could do with getting a drink. "

They wander off round the show, John wants to go back and look at the bikes, Kayleigh raises her eyes to heaven, little did she think that John would turn out to be a freakoid bike nut like Steve, she's glad that there are some craft stalls she can have a look at. Finding a catering van that doesn't have too long a queue, John and Kayleigh hold hands while waiting. 

"What does Jim think of your song John?" Kayleigh 's sure John must have given it to Jim to listen to.

"What? No! I'm not going to play it to him!"

Kayleigh 's face falls. "Why not? It's wonderful!"

" How many times do I have to say it? It's just for you. I didn't want anyone else to hear it. I still don't! "

Kayleigh turns away. The upset she feels at John's words has been building up all week. It all comes back to pretence again. Why do they have to pretend? She's no good at it and doesn't know why John feels the need for it. Ultimately she thinks that however much she loves him, it might just end up pulling her and John apart.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John sings a song for Kayleigh.
> 
> John finds out the meaning of the "u".

Unlike other times, Kayleigh does not fall apart as a result of the thoughts she's having stood with John in the tea queue. She tucks the thoughts away to process later. For now she's going to enjoy her time with John and try to figure things out another time. She'd walked out too soon on John before and caused them both a load of anguish, so she wasn't going to do that again, but she wasn't going to stand by and let John hide their relationship for ever either.

Drinking their tea, John and Kayleigh walked round another part of the site, taking in the sights and sounds of the Car Show until it was time for John to go and perform again. John felt ten feet tall holding Kayleigh 's hand, proud that she had come with him and supported him. 

"Hey, in case I don't get a chance later, I want to say thank you for coming today and for everything this week. You've kept me going, Kayleigh. " He says this with so much sincerity that she stops and looks at him.

" You're welcome John. That's what I'm here for. I love that I've been able to help, even just a little bit. It's nice to feel needed." 

"Don't ever think that I don't need you Kayleigh." All of a sudden John has turned serious. " I needed you before I knew that I did. If that makes any sense? " John lets out an exasperated breath, "See what I mean? I'm no good at this stuff!" He turns away embarrassed.

"John!" Kayleigh catches his arm, " You're better at this than you know. Don't stop trying eh? I don't need you to be Shakespeare. Just be you! It's you I ... " she hesitates, " it's you I fell I love with. " 

They stand together in the middle of the field sharing a moment of understanding. John can't bring himself to say it yet, but he knows he's getting closer. If only he doesn't fuck it all up and make Kayleigh walk away.

"Aren't you playing again soon?" Kayleigh breaks the moment becoming aware that time is ticking on.

"Christ! Yes!" John gives Kayleigh a quick smile before they rush back to the marquee, where they find Jim already sat with his guitar waiting for them.

" Sorry Jim!" John mutters as they launch straight into "Cotton Eye Joe" to get the punters toes tapping. 

About half way through their second set, John whispers something to Jim, who nods and grins at him.

"We're going to bring the tempo down for this next one." John tells the audience. " We're going to have a go at a Take That song, we've only practiced it a few times so we might be a bit rusty. " John chuckles , "I shouldn't really be telling you that! But I want to sing it for someone. Someone who'll hopefully understand. Why are men so bloody useless at saying what we mean eh?" 

John makes the audience laugh as he and Jim play the opening chords...

Just have a little patience  
I'm still hurting from a love I lost  
I'm feeling your frustration  
That any minute all the pain will stop

Just hold, me close  
Inside, your arms, tonight  
Don't be to hard on my emotions

'Cause I  
Need time  
My heart is numb has no feeling  
So while I'm still healing  
Just try  
And have a little patience

I really wanna start over again  
I know you wanna be my salvation  
The one that I can always depend  
I'll try to be strong, believe me  
I'm trying to move on  
It's complicated but understand me

'Cause I  
Need time  
My heart is numb has no feeling  
So while I'm still healing  
Just try  
And have little patience yeah  
Have a little patience yeah

'Cause the scars run so deep  
It's been hard, but I have to believe

Have a little patience  
Have a little patience

Ho 'cause I  
I just need time  
My heart is numb has no feeling  
So while I''m still healing  
Just try  
And have a little patience  
Have a little patience  
My heart is numb has no feeling  
So while I'm still healing  
Just try  
And have a little patience*

The applause from the crowd is loud and long. Kayleigh is sat, not in a prominent place this time, with tears running down her cheeks. She's glad that she's inconspicuous where she's sitting. John might not be good at using his own words but he sure is good at picking the right song for the right time. He's reduced her to a tearful mess yet again and she really does need a minute to regain her composure.

A woman who's sat near Kayleigh looks at her with sympathy. "They're really good these two! Is that fella related to Gary Barlow?"

Kayleigh laughs, "Yes they are good." She replies proudly. " I don't think so! I'll be sure and tell him though."

John receives the applause with a pleased if slightly abashed countenance. He can't see Kayleigh as people have moved in front of where she's sitting, but he hopes she understands. He nods at Jim and they start to play "Sweet Child of Mine" to stop the audience drifting off. They finish their set with "High Go Silver Lining" to send the punters on their way with the tune in their heads and on their lips.

There's no time to be dawdling after their performance as the next band have started to gather to set up their equipment, so John and Jim quickly and efficiently pack away their gear and start ferrying it back to Jim's van. 

"That went down alright." Jim remarks as they are loading the last of their stuff into the van. 

" Aye, not bad! " John's looking to see where Kayleigh's got to.

"You've got a lovely lass there John!"

" I have Jim. I'm trying hard not to fuck it all up. " 

"Don't you fuck it up with her, pal. She's a keeper." Jim says as Kayleigh comes up to see if she can help.

" There's a woman back there wants to know if you're related to Gary Barlow. I said you were and that I'd get your autograph for her! "

"What? Not really?" John asks astonished.

"No, not really!" Kayleigh has a cheeky grin " Only kidding! But you were really good. You had me in bits again John! It's becoming a habit. "

"Again? When have you been making your lass cry?" Jim can't believe that of John.

"With his song. It was so lovely! Had me in bits on the bus! "

Jim raises his eyebrows at John, who shakes his head looking panicked.

"Time to go you two, people to see, places to go." Jim wants to get home and get the gear unpacked. He'll pick this up with John later. There's something obviously going on that John doesn't want him to know about. He'll quiz him about it at their next band practice. He's known John too long to let him get away with not telling him what's going on.

Kayleigh files away John's reaction in her personal file labelled pretence and merely makes her way out of the marquee.

"Did you want to go and get some lunch?" Kayleigh wants to go and have a mooch and have a look round at anything that isn't connected to anything involving any type of vehicle. When Steve and John start going on about bikes Kayleigh hears tweeting birds in her head as much sense they make to her and as much interest she takes.

"Yeah I do!" John's keen to explore the rest of the catering vans, that bacon sandwich had only filled a small hole. He's ready for something more substantial before they head off to visit Nana Rose.

"Anything you fancy in particular?" Kayleigh nods towards the Thai, Burgers, Chinese, Indian, Italian and sandwich vans. 

"What apart from you?" John says without thinking. "Um, sorry, I err ..." and looks at his feet uncomfortably.

Kayleigh laughs at John's unguarded remark." I meant to eat John. Cheeky!"

" I thought about having a baguette or something now and then eat after we visit Nana? Is that OK? Would you like to come back round to mine? I'll make us something? " John wants to do something nice to show her how much he appreciates her.

"That would be lovely John. I'd like a club baguette now. What about you? "

"I'll have the same. Did you ever find out what the "u" stands for? " John chuckles as they join the queue for the baguette van expecting her to say no.

"I did actually John!" Kayleigh's looking triumphant. "It means chicken and lettuce UNDER bacon! I knew it meant something!"

"You googled it then?" John's still amused by the time they reach the front of the queue. " Two club baguettes please mate and two teas. "

"Yes I did! After you told me I was being stupid!"

" You know I didn't mean it? I was just kidding you on? " John asks as he hands her her lunch.

"Yes of course I did! But it's nice to prove you wrong once in a while, Brian Cox!"

John and Kayleigh find themselves a bench to eat their lunch and then wander round for an hour or so holding hands. Kayleigh has had her look round the stalls she wanted to and John has a chat with one or two of the vintage bikers, who it turns out know Steve. 

"Small world, Kayleigh." John says as they walk away from a fella showing off his Land Devil.

"Yeah there's not many freakoids out there, praise the Lord! " Kayleigh says laughing at him.

"Have you done taking the piss? Because if you have we could go over and visit Nana."

 

 

 

*Songwriters: Gary Barlow,John Shanks,Mark Owen,Jason Orange,Howard Donald  
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC,Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.,Universal Music Publishing Group,BMG Rights Management

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter sees me passing the milestone of 100,000 words published for Car Share fanfic. I just wanted to say thank you for continuing to read. I really do appreciate it.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Kayleigh visit Nana Rose in hospital. 
> 
> John reveals something that adds to the doubts Kayleigh has. Can John make it up to her?

At the hospital Nana Rose was to be found holding court. John's mum, brother Paul with Ben and Sophie had set up camp by her bed and were entertaining her with tales of their goings on. Rose had perked up considerably now her constant headache was finally in abeyance and she was able to get up to use the toilet. She was being tired out a bit less every day so was able to enjoy the company. 

Her visitors had been with her about an hour by the time John and Kayleigh arrived. John had mentioned that he might be bringing his friend Kayleigh to visit so when they arrived they were greeted cheerfully and enthusiastically.

"Alright Nana?" John leans down to kiss her on the cheek. "How are ya? I've brought Kayleigh to see ya! "

"I'm alright our John. Hello Kayleigh love." 

" Hello, Mrs Redmond. Pleased to meet you. I hope you're feeling better. " 

Kayleigh roots round in her bag and produces a lovely little artificial flower arrangement of purple and pink peonies in a small glass bowl. "I've brought this for you. I found it among all those cars and bikes we saw today. I hope you like it."

" It's very pretty, love. Thank you. "

"I know you're not supposed to bring flowers in," Kayleigh says, " so I thought you might like these instead. "

"They're beautiful, Kayleigh love." John's mum is smiling at her fondly. " Here, come and sit by me. " She says patting one of those uncomfortable plastic stackable chairs.

"Do you want to go and find the vending machine?" John asks Paul and the kids.

" Yeah, let's leave the women to it. " Paul agrees, herding Ben and Sophie out of the door. " See you in a bit. "

"It's nice to meet you love. We've heard a lot about you" John's mum tells her.

"Really?" Kayleigh can't imagine that John would say anything about her so is pleased to find he has. " What's he been saying? "

"He told me all about how you two got to know each other. And he showed me that video to his song that's caused him all this upset."

" What's this? I've missed this! " Nana Rose is not used to being left out of the family news.

"You were busy breaking your hip Rose love."

" Let's have a look! " Rose shifts herself up in her bed eagerly.

They both look at Kayleigh expectantly.

"We'll have to wait for John to get back," she tells them with a smile, " I can't get it on my phone. "

While they are waiting the ladies chat away pleasantly, enjoying each other's company. Kayleigh regales them with stories from work and the gig in Burnley. John and Paul don't have much chance to catch up with Ben and Sophie commandeering most of their attention. 

Arriving back to Nana Rose's bed, the kids ahead of them, John is very happy to see Kayleigh chatting away with the Redmond women. Not that he had any doubt they would all get on. Kayleigh had a knack of putting everyone at ease, and if she had managed to do that with him there was no doubt she would work her magic with his mum and nana.

"Ah there you are John!" Nana Rose is excited to see his video having heard how lovely it was. " I want to see that video I've been hearing all about. "

John 's face falls as he shifts about uncomfortably. Kayleigh looks at him having a strong feeling of déjà vu.

"You can't, Nana!" John tells her in a tone that indicates that he's trying to shut this conversation down.

"Why not, our John? There's no need to be shy, we're all family here!"

"It's not about being shy. I had it taken off You Tube. " He's looking at Kayleigh as he says this.

There was a chorus of "whys" and surprised expressions, and a very unhappy one from Kayleigh. John sits down heavily and looks down at the floor.

"I had it taken down because it was infringing my copyright. It's MY song!" 

" I thought it was my song? " Kayleigh is unbearably disappointed.

John takes her hand and squeezes it. " It is Kayleigh. I wrote it only for you. I never wanted anyone else to hear it and then someone stole it and it went bloody viral! "

An awkward silence descended the group. Kayleigh was clearly upset and wasn't able to make eye contact with anyone. 

"I'm sorry Kayleigh, I should have told you I'd got it taken down."

Kayleigh just nods and looks at their hands that were still joined. John's mum catches Paul's eye and gestures with her head for him to take the kids home.

"Right, it's time for us to go, Nana. We'll bob in to see you tomorrow. Nice to meet you, Kayleigh love. I'll talk to you later John, (dickhead!)."

" I'm just going to pop to the ladies. " Kayleigh says vaguely as she gets up to escape for a few minutes.

John is left with his mum and nana's disapproval.

"Oh John! What did you do that for?" John's mum is upset for Kayleigh and can't believe he hadn't seen how much this would have upset her.

" It was something you said mum. " John tries to explain.

"Me? What did I say? Don't you be blaming this on me!"

" I'm not blaming anything on you! " John whispers fiercely as he sees Kayleigh walking back towards them. 

"You told me something that have me an idea! I didn't do it to upset Kayleigh. That's the last thing I'd do!"

" Alright John! You'd better make this right with her!'

"I hope he can!" Rose stage whispers. 

Kayleigh comes back with a more composed demeanour. "Sorry about that," she says, " too much tea this morning! Perhaps we should leave you to it Mrs Redmond. We don't want to tire you out."

"If you think so love. Thank you so much for coming. " She catches hold of Kayleigh's hand. "Here you two, I want a quick word with Kayleigh. Can you go and find me a brew?" She says dismissing her daughter-in-law and grandson.

John glances at his mum and they walk off towards the end of the ward where there's a refreshment cart.

"Come and sit with me for a minute, love. " Rose pats the bed beside her. Kayleigh sits in the nearest chair.

"Now, I don't know what's going on with that video, but it seems to have got you both pretty upset. I just wanted to ask you not to be too hasty. I can tell that our John thinks the world of you. I've never seen him like this about any girl before."

" But why does he have to pretend? " Kayleigh really does have no clue what's going on with John and wonders whether she ever will work him out. Wonders whether the reason he's pretending is because somehow he's ashamed of her.

"He's not pretending with us love. We can all tell how much John cares for you. Just let him tell you in his own time." The elderly lady squeezes her hand reassuringly.

Kayleigh smiles at Nana Rose gratefully. "I'll try." She says hoping that she'll be able to wait for John that long.

John returns on his own, his mum has gone to the newsagents to pick up a couple of puzzle books for Rose.

"Are you ready Kayleigh ? Here Nana, I've got you a nice brew from the Costa." He says putting her cup down on her bedside table. "I'll come and see you again soon. Behave yourself!"

"I will, our John! You too!" She gives him a broad wink and laughs.

"You know me Nana! Always a good boy!" He turns to Kayleigh , " Ready for the legendary Redmond Cuisine? " 

"Legendary with who? " Kayleigh gives him a small smile.

"Well only with me, but I could impress you too? "

"You could try."

John gets the distinct feeling he's got a big mountain to climb to make this up to Kayleigh and he's not sure that the dinner he's planned will be enough.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kayleigh gives John a chance to explain.
> 
> John proves he's a good cook. John gives Kayleigh time to give her verdict.

On the way over to John's house from the hospital, Kayleigh was unnaturally quiet. They both know why but choose not to start this conversation yet. John keeps throwing little glances her way while Kayleigh resolutely keeps looking forward. She's trying to not say what's in her head without the filter that she needs to employ so as not to shout and accuse. Nana Rose's words are fresh in her head and they stay Kayleigh 's natural inclination to launch straight in to her voicing her hurt that John has had the video taken down.

John knows his explanation will have to be good, without revealing the whole reason for his actions. He's going to have to work hard and overcome his natural inclination to clam up and say nothing.

"Right, we're here!" John announces rather unnecessarily. "Ready to sample my culinary delight?" He's trying to lighten the mood.

" What have we got Ainsley? " Kayleigh's trying hard too.

"I put a lamb stew in the slow cooker. Thought I'd give it another go as you love your's so much. I can do us mash or jacket potatoes or rice. Whatever you want." 

The lovely smell of the stew hits them as they walk through John's front door.

"Smells lovely John. Did you brown off your meat last night? "

"Yes I did! Still a pain in the arse though!" 

"Handy for a day like today eh?" Kayleigh is determined that John's going to be won over by the little miracle that is the slow cooker. John knows when to pick his battles and this was certainly not one to spend much time on.

"Aye, they have their uses. Decided what you want to go with it?"

" I'd like a jacket potato please John. " 

Kayleigh takes her jacket off and her shoes, making herself comfortable while John goes to see to the potatoes. A few minutes later he reappears with a bottle of raspberry flavoured cider for her and a bottle of water for him.

"Dinner will be about an hour," he announces , " You were a big hit with Nana Rose today. Mum has texted to ask if you'd be able to go in and see her again. Royal request that! You're highly honoured! "

"She's lovely, your nana. She gave me some good advice actually."

" Oh aye, what did she say? " John had been cringing wondering what Rose had had to say to Kayleigh.

"She told me to let you tell me things in your own time, not to push you. We know what happens when I do that don't we?" Kayleigh gives a small chuckle.

John sighs, here it comes...

But Kayleigh says nothing further, just sips her cider from the bottle.  
John sits for a while trying to compose what he wants to say in his head. "I should start by saying how much I appreciate all you've done this week. I know it's not been easy for you at work and I haven't been there to take the pressure off." He gives her what he hopes is a winning smile.

" Second thing I want to say is that I'll never do anything to deliberately hurt you. I may do it without realising sometimes, but it will never be on purpose and I want to say thanks for giving me a chance to explain. I know I've hurt you by getting the video taken down and I'm sorry. "

Kayleigh is still keeping quiet, fighting against every instinct she has letting John get things off his chest.

"When I split up from Charlotte, a bit before you started at the store I think, it was all over the shop in seconds and it was all they could talk about for months." He shakes his head remembering how awful the whole thing had been.

"Honest to God! I didn't get a moment's peace! What with the fake sympathy and then some of the women throwing themselves at me cos I was available again."

Kayleigh laughs.

" It wasn't funny, Kayleigh. I was properly devo'd and the last thing I bloody needed was to be under scrutiny by the whole poxy store! "

Kayleigh nods in sympathy, she knows what that feels like this week.

"Anyway, I got over it eventually. But from then on I didn't tell any bugger anything that could be used to gossip about me. Except for when you came along. I started telling you things, I didn't want to, but you just have this way about ya! But you didn't repeat anything I told ya so I began to trust ya. "

Kayleigh can't contain herself any longer. "I'd never do that John!"

" I know you wouldn't. Like I said I trust ya! But when your song was turned into that video, it took me right back there again. Being laughed at for showing how I felt, and I couldn't work out how it had happened if you hadn't at least shared it with someone to make the video. "

He holds up his hand, " I know, I know. Mum told me to give you the benefit of the doubt, and made me really think if I believed you would have done it. I didn't believe it, Kayleigh. It was just the shock talking. We still don't know do we? But knowing it was someone from work and that the same person has done that cyclist video... " he trails off remembering how long it taken everyone to stop nudging each other when he walked past.

"You never told me you were being bullied, John. I'm so sorry! I never knew!" 

Another part of the John-shaped jigsaw puzzle started to fall into place.

" I wouldn't call it bullying exactly. " John says sheepishly feeling ashamed.

"I would! Oh John, come here!" Kayleigh makes room for him to sit with her on the sofa and puts her arms round him when he sits next to her. " No wonder you were so upset! I'm so sorry that happened to you. " she says kissing this cheek.

"Anyway," John continues, " it all died down eventually. I decided that women weren't worth it and I certainly wasn't going to fraternise wi'me staff. Didn't trust any of them bastards. I kept thinking how it would be a hundred times worse if I fell for somebody at work and they dumped me as they inevitably would. "

" But you trust me John? "

"Aye, I do, Kayleigh. But I can't go through all that again. If Christmas goes well I might be up for promotion this time. I need to move up or move out, I've been there long enough. The last thing I need is all this hanging over me. And besides I want to protect what we have."

Kayleigh loosens her hold a little so she can look at him.

"That's why I fought so hard, Kayleigh. But I've never had any defence against you, have I?" He chuckles fondly. " I want to keep what we have away from work."

"So you're not ashamed of me then?" Her question slips out without her permission.

" Ashamed? How could I ever be ashamed of you? I know this sounds like a crap Romcom you like so much, but you really are the best thing that's happened to me. I wrote that song for you. To tell you what I couldn't say. I never wear my heart on my sleeve like that, now you know why. Doesn't mean I want everyone hearing it. It's for you, Kayleigh, no-one else. "

He leans down to bury his face in her hair. "If I'm ashamed of anything, it's how I've behaved. I'm proud that you seem to want to stick with me. And you know what else? I'm proud how you dealt with Jim today. He can be a right dickhead! And as for Nana, she's a fully paid-up member of the Kayleigh Kitson fan club! As am I by the way."

John is interrupted by his cooker timer going off. He reluctantly moves so that he can stand and go and sort the rest of their dinner. Kayleigh stays where she is. She doesn't think she has ever heard John say so much in one go. There's no doubting his sincerity but she needs to be able to digest all that he's told her. She gets up and follows John into his kitchen but unusually for her is quiet and pensive. John, of course, notices but carries on dishing up their dinner and setting it out on his kitchen table for them, thinking it best to just stay quiet and wait for Kayleigh 's verdict.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spooning.

"This is really nice John! You're a good cook!" Kayleigh realises that she shouldn't sound surprised. She's beginning to realise that John is a man of hidden depths and talents. 

" Just something I threw together. "John says modestly.

" Do you ever admit when you're really good at something? " Kayleigh's just a tiny bit exasperated with him.

"Well..." John gives her a cheeky grin. " Far be it for me.. " he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at her.

"What not going to blow your own trumpet again?" Kayleigh's laughing at his innuendo.

"I'll leave that to you shall I?" John's starting to relax now that Kayleigh is joking with him.

"John! How rude!" She loves the cheeky side of John.

"Sorry, sorry. Couldn't resist." John's laughing with Kayleigh now. "Listen, I know you need some time to think about everything. So what do you say to listening to some music for a while? I don't know about you, but I could really do with a relaxing evening." He looks really tired all of a sudden. 

" Here, let me clear up, why don't you sort some music out and get comfortable?"  


"Hey I'm supposed to be looking after you! You don't have to clear up!"

" I can load the dishwasher, John! " She shooes him out of the kitchen and watches him go upstairs.

Smiling to herself, Kayleigh gathers up the dinner plates and finds a couple of foil boxes to store away the left overs so John has some dinners to come home to after work. Loading the dish washer, she tidies up and grabs a couple of drinks out of the fridge. By the time she takes the drinks into the front room, John has changed into a pair of tracky bottoms and a polo shirt, has put some soft music on his mp3 player and has dimmed the lights. 

"Another drink?" Kayleigh asks as she sits next to him and settles back into the cushions.

"Thanks." John takes the bottle and does the same. He really wants to just take some deep breaths and slow down for a while. He seems to have been running on empty for over a week , for now he needs to recharge and unwind.

Kayleigh closes her eyes and starts to think about everything; about John's being bullied about Charlotte, about how he had reacted when his song had been posted, about how he was different with her when he was with his family and Jim, the words of Patience he had sung for her, how he had said he would try to never hurt her, the stress he had gone through with his nana's accident. It all swirls round her head until she too wants to close her eyes. She inevitably gravitates towards John and snuggles in to his side. 

Half laying, half sitting together on the sofa, John and Kayleigh listened to the love songs playlist John had put on. A couple of hours flew past by the time John stirred himself to find Kayleigh snuggled up against him with her head resting on his chest. Moving slightly, John realises that they had been there for some time. He doesn't want to get up and drive Kayleigh home, but would rather do it sooner rather than later so he could get to bed at a reasonable time.

"Kayleigh, Kayleigh" he says gently. "Kayleigh, love. Are you awake? " 

"Hmm? Yes I'm awake! Just relaxing here. Everything OK John?"

" Yeah, just didn't realise we'd been here so long, must have drifted off. "

"No kidding! You've been snoring for the last hour John!"

" Me? Never! " He sighs with regret at what he's about to say, "I'd better get you home soon if I'm going to stay awake at the wheel."

" Or... " Kayleigh says.

"Or?" John's still a bit dopey from his snooze.

" Or I could stay? " 

"Stay?"

" You said the other night that you wanted to hold me until you fell asleep. Well we've been doing that for the last couple of hours.... we could just carry on couldn't we? Then you wouldn't have to drive me home. What do you reckon? "

John's a bit surprised Kayleigh had suggested it but it does make sense. 

"I'd have to go to the late shop to buy you a tooth brush." John says not sounding very enthusiastic.

"No need John, I have a travel toothbrush in my handbag."

"Of course you do! Is there nothing you don't carry in that bastard bag? " John chuckles as he remembers Mary Poppins from their safari outing.

"Oh shush John! I always clean my teeth after meals. I could do with a tee shirt to sleep in though."

John smiles widely, "I can manage that. Here do you want to let your Mandy know you're staying over? "

" I'll just drop her a quick text while your sorting out my tee shirt. "

John gets up but is looking a bit awkward. "Um, err, well I was just wondering if you wanted to sleep in the spare room." He's hoping that she says no but feels that he has to offer.

Kayleigh smiles a lovely smile at him. " It would make you being able to hold me until you fell asleep a bit tricky. Get up those stairs before you fall down. You look done in. 

John gives her a tired grin, gathers the bottles to take to the recycling in the kitchen. Kayleigh smiles to herself as she picks up her handbag and waits at the bottom of the stairs. 

John leads the way up the stairs, "Hold on a minute I'll fetch you a tee shirt, bathroom's this one." He says pointing to one of the three doors while he goes into his bedroom. He hadn't thought that Kayleigh would be staying quite so soon and although he 's not expecting anything to happen he still has that little ball of anticipation in the pit of his stomach. He fishes out one of his sleeping tee shirts and hands it to her.

By the time Kayleigh emerges from the bathroom, John is sat on the edge of his bed waiting for her. He's quickly got changed for bed, getting undressed in front of each other is an intimacy too far at this stage in their relationship. He's still feeling a bit self conscious sat there in his tee shirt and boxers, but he's desperate to seem like this is an every day occurrence. But seeing Kayleigh padding into his room dressed in his tee shirt, John knows that the picture of seeing her like this for the first time will stay forever in his memory.

"Are you going to sit there all night John?" Kayleigh smiling at the expression on his face. 

"Hmm, no. Right I'm going." 

While John's in the bathroom, Kayleigh has a look round his bedroom. His bedroom walls are covered in a restful green wallpaper on two walls and painted a soft white on the others. His bed is a king size made from chunky, solid pine, with green and white bedding to match the walls. The rest of the furniture is of the same chunky style of pine. It's very calming yet some how very masculine and very John. Kayleigh guesses that John sleeps on the left as he has his bedside clock/mp3 player on the left hand side, him being left handed and all. This suits her, preferring to sleep on the right, she climbs into "her" side and makes herself comfortable. John isn't long, when he returns he again wishes he could commit to memory the sight of Kayleigh in his bed. He thinks she's probably find it a bit creepy if he asked her if she minded if he took her photo.

"So?" 

" So? I never really expected to see you here. " John admits, easing himself into his side of the bed.

"How was that going to work? I'm too old to have a hold hands boyfriend John!" Kayleigh laughs at him for saying such a silly thing.

" I know that sounds daft. But I thought you'd get fed up of me before we ever got here. And let's face it I wouldn't blame ya!" 

"Now you are being daft John! You're a hard man to work out, John Redmond. But you know what? I think you're worth it! It can't have been easy telling me all that earlier..." Kayleigh moves down the bed so her head is resting on her pillow facing John.

John does likewise, putting their noses far enough apart so they aren't going cross-eyed looking at each other.

"No, it wasn't easy. But easier than losing you." 

"I think I'm beginning to understand where all this is coming from. You know I'd never knowingly do anything to hurt or embarrass you. Although I probably embarrass you all the time! I do know what I'm like!"

" You never do that, but you are funny. I'm not laughing at you, you know? "

"What about the video though? It feels like you're embarrassed to be seen with me like that. It was lovely, you know."

" Is that what you think? Kayleigh I'm anything but embarrassed. I'm honoured, over the moon that someone like you would feel anything for someone like me! It's not that I promise. " He reaches across and strokes her cheek.

"I'll try to explain the best I can. I wrote that song at pretty much the lowest I've ever felt. I thought I'd blown it because I couldn't get me bastard words out. Everything I was feeling was in that song. It was just for you. Is only for you. It's too personal to be shared. When it got posted it was like my whole soul was out there for everyone to take a shot at. I'm not strong enough Kayleigh. I'm not strong enough to lose you. Going through all that before was almost too much. I was that close to finding another job. I don't want to go just yet. Not while you're still there. I'd like us to car share for a bit longer."

Kayleigh takes the hand he's stroking her cheek with and kisses it. She turns round so she's the little spoon and pulls his arm across so he can hold her.

"I understand. You're so talented. You know that? It seems such a shame that your song won't see the light of day. Maybe you could rewrite the words? Honestly, I love that you wrote it for me. But I get it. I get why you had it taken down. You'll let me play it though? "

"Aye I don't think I could stop ya! "

"No you can't! It's nice laying like this isn't it? Ready for lights out? Just one thing though? Try not to snore in my ear eh?"

John reaches across to turn his lamp off and settles back to holding Kayleigh. 

"I told ya! I don't snore you cheeky mare!"


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Kayleigh sleep together.

Truth be told neither John nor Kayleigh fell asleep for a while. Even though they stayed still and relaxed, both had too much going through their minds to be able to let sleep overcome them just yet. They both loved the feeling of security and contentment they had laying their spooned together, entirely innocently. As their breathing slowed and their heart beats settled, they were both able to see things clearly.

John could see he was right to trust Kayleigh. Once he had explained himself she understood and accepted him, which was more than anyone else had ever done. OK so she had mistaken her own insecurities for the motives of his actions, but it is entirely understandable that she would do so. Without the background of what had happened when he had split with Charlotte, it would have taken Sherlock Holmes to figure out his motives. Bless her, she wasn't even Dr Watson. But now all that was out in the open, John felt sure that she would support him in whatever he needed to do at work to get everyone off his back. He wishes there was a way of admitting his relationship with Kayleigh but for them to be left alone by the likes of Elsie and Diane off Non-Foods. As John drifted off to sleep finally, he held onto Kayleigh just that little bit tighter. Unwilling to let her go now he had her here with him.

On her side of the bed Kayleigh had much to mull over. She felt desperately sorry for all that John had gone through. Finding himself in a relationship with someone he didn't love, primarily to please his dad, or so it seemed. To then having it all gossiped about endlessly until he had almost left his job as a result. It was not surprising that he was so guarded. What was more surprising was how far he had let her in. How many of his self-imposed rules he had broken for her. Laying there in the comfort of John's bed, with him spooned up behind her with his arm circling her waist, Kayleigh felt more love and protectiveness towards this man than she had ever experienced. She would do whatever he needed, she decided, even if it meant forgetting about the video and never mentioning it again. She could see that he wasn't pretending in his feelings towards her, nor was he pretending that he didn't feel them. He was just careful to whom he showed his feelings. She felt proud that he had felt he could trust her with his very bruised heart and she promised herself that she would do everything she could to protect him.  
With these thoughts at last put literally to bed, John and Kayleigh slept better than they both could remember in a long while. Peaceful and secure and comfortable.

Inevitably throughout the night they shifted about but never too far away from each other and always with some part of them touching the other. Subconsciously providing and seeking that connection even in sleep. 

Waking up as the light came through the gap in his curtains, John smiles to himself. Kayleigh is laying across his chest, her hair virtually covering his tee shirt. He's always had a secret thing about her hair, even when she was a little less than put together. He grins, remembering Carol Decker or her Monkey wrestling hair. He can't help himself but reach out and twirl a strand of her hair round his finger like he had seen her do many times. To be able to touch her like this was a privilege he doubted he would get used to. He sighs deeply as he continues to play with her hair.

"Morning." Kayleigh says as she surfaces from the very satisfying sleep she's had.

" Morning Kayleigh. Sleep well? "

"Hmm I did. You?" She keeps still , enjoying the sensations John's creating by twisting her hair.

"I did. I could do that every night for the rest of me life." He's completely serious but didn't mean to say it out loud.

" I might just let you, if you make me a brew. " Kayleigh 's thrilled at what he's just said. 

"I'll get up in a bit. Not just yet though, I'm enjoying this too much." 

" Not to put a downer on this, but what about work tomorrow? " Kayleigh has started with the Sunday evening feeling already.

"Yep, I'll have to see Dave Thompson for my Return to Work. "

"But what about the rest of it?" Kayleigh's worried about how John will react to people's comments to the video.

"Every bugger can just do one! The video's not on You Tube, so there's nothing for them to see."

" What do you want to say about us? I don't want to say the wrong thing! " 

"We say nothing, Kayleigh. We just say that it's none of their business. No details. Nothing. I'm not going to engage with anyone about it. I still want to know which bastard it was though."

Kayleigh nods slowly. She wants to shout about their relationship from the rooftops, or at least change her relationship status on Facebook, but has agreed that she would do whatever John needs.

"I'm sorry we're not going to be making a grand announcement, Kayleigh. But what is there to announce? As far as anyone is concerned nothing has changed. The fact that my whole life has changed a hundred percent for the better is something for us not them eh?"

"OK John, I'll just have to practice my enigmatic smile. Be like that woman in that painting.'

"Mona Lisa?"

" Lisa who? "

"Thank you for staying. I love this. I love us like this. Do you think we can do it again sometime? " John really means it even though he's chucking at her last remark.

"I think we can do this again. Hey thank you for not expecting anything else. No bloke I've ever met would have gone to bed with me and not expected any funny business." 

" There's nothing wrong with me if that's what you mean." He laughs at the look on her face. "I know what you mean! I asked if we could take things slow. I'm not going to say that one minute and lure you into my bed the next. This is enough for now. Sharing a bed is pretty bloody epic don't ya think."

" It is John! I don't know how long I'll be able to keep my hands off you, I'll tell you that. "

"Ditto... " John says. "It's not that I don't want to. You know that right? I want to every time I look at ya. But I need more time to get all my ducks in a row. "

Kayleigh nods, "Quack Quack!" She does her best duck impression, which if they're both honest, isn't very good.

"I'd better get us that brew now before you start on your Miss Piggy impression. Don't want the whole piggin ' farm yard in here! " 

"Oi cheeky! Get down those stairs! "

Coming back a while later with a tray of tea and toast, John finds Kayleigh propped up on her pillows.

"Breakfast, mi'lady! Anything you want to do today?"

Kayleigh takes her tea and toast. "Thank you, John. Don't take this the wrong way, but I'd like to stay here for a bit. It's not late is it?"

" Just after eight. I'll text mum to let her know I'll be going to six o'clock mass. "

"You're not going to tell her it's because we're staying in bed? I wouldn't like her to think the reason you're not going to mass is because I'm ravishing her son!"

John laughs and raises his eyebrows at her. "No, I'll just tell her we've got plans for today. You're not are ya?"

Kayleigh shares the laugh with him, " What! Going to ravish you? Not unless you want me to?"

"Don't tempt me! Maybe I should go to Mass! I've been a regular attendee of Confession these last couple of months, I'll tell you that! "

Not being Catholic, Kayleigh is intrigued. "What have you got to confess John."

John looks a bit sheepish, " Impure thoughts Kayleigh. I've had more than my fair share of Our Fathers and Glory Be's!"

" Who have you been having impure thoughts about? It'd better not be Rachel!" Kayleigh is only half teasing him.

"You! I've been having thoughts about you! Especially when ya told me about going doggin' with Ken and losing your virginity on a mechanical bull!"

" John! " Kayleigh is properly amused now.

"I'm only a man Kayleigh! You can't tell me you call your breasts Cagney and Lacey or tell me you've not got your bra on yet without me picturing you!" 

" Oh John! You are funny! "

"What? Did you do that on purpose? Cos you've cost me a lot of time in Confession lately!"

" No I didn't! I had no idea! Do you really think of me like that? "

"Of course I do! How do ya think I felt when you were doing your Beyonce?"

" Wow, this is a morning of revelations! You keep all this well hidden, John! I had no idea! " 

"You must have! Is it too much to ask to hold you some more? " John's looking at her hopefully. "No funny business I promise."

" Oh if you really want to!" Kayleigh pretends to have to think about his request. This is what she's been hoping for all along.

Kayleigh moves onto her side so she can become the little spoon again. John shifts into position behind her with his arm tucked in front of her so she can hold his hand. This is pretty much how they stay for the next couple of hours, talking about anything and everything. It's easier to bare their souls while not looking at each other. Easier to confide, just like when they are side by side in the car. As a result they both feel able to face the inevitable inquisition and smart-arsed comments at work the following day with more certainty in their relationship than they had felt so far. It wasn't going to be easy for either of them in different ways, but now they had each other's understanding and support they knew they would get through it. Kayleigh wasn't about to let John go through all that bull crap he had gone through last time and knowing how he felt about her meant she felt confident and happy with where they were and where they were going.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Kayleigh both go into work, but is it all plain sailing?

Monday morning arrives with a feeling of trepidation for more than just John and Kayleigh. Cath Hilton is not looking forward to John's return to work. As much as she likes John, she knows that what she did was not professional, even though she had her nephew produce the video with the best of intentions. Having no other information to hand she wasn't aware that John's request for a Leave of Absence from work was for anything other than the upset caused by the video.

Kayleigh, for her part, was looking forward to travelling in with John again, she had missed him and not just because his lift in meant she didn't have the journey on the bus and tram to contend with. She wasn't looking forward to dealing with the gossip, but buoyed up by their weekend of togetherness and understanding, she felt able to deal with most things and did her best to reassure John things would be OK. 

During the day on Sunday, John and Kayleigh had made another visit to the hospital to see Nana Rose, whose progress was now pleasing her doctors to the extent that they were talking of moving her to a rehab facility for a couple of weeks of more intensive physio and occupational therapy. John had driven Kayleigh back to Mandy's mid afternoon, where they reluctantly said their goodbyes until the following day. John didn't dawdle because he to get back home to do a few chores before taking his mum to six o'clock mass. 

John was quieter on the journey into work than usual and Kayleigh could feel the tension rolling off him in waves.

"It 'll be OK, John. We're in this together!" Kayleigh does her best to reassure him. John appreciates her effort but is in the middle of a deep anxiety flashback. 

Kayleigh keeps glancing at John until she says, "Hey John, pull over for a minute!"

" What? " John is pulled out of his reverie. "Pull over? Why?"

" Just pull over. " Kayleigh 's gripping his arm.

"What's up?" John finds a safe place to park before turning to look at her.

Kayleigh takes a deep breath and takes hold of his hand. " Now listen here, John Redmond! You are going to go in there this morning with your head held high! You are better than pretty much everyone there! You have done nothing to be embarrassed about! I'm not going to let anyone have a go at you! So go in there and be confident. We're in this together! "

John looks at her agog. The only other time he's heard her sound so determined was when she's told him she was getting out of his car and his life. He's very glad she's turning all that steeliness to his defence this time. He certainly wouldn't want to get on her wrong side today.

"Thank you. I will. I'm not going to let them bastards wear me down!"

Kayleigh gives him a satisfied grin. "Good!" she says with a decisive nod.

Their arrival in the store's car park was greeted by the raised eyebrows of the usual suspects in the smoking shelter. John and Kayleigh continued to sit in the car for a minute or so before they got out to face the day.

"Text me if you need me?" Kayleigh says as they part at the back door.

John was more grateful than he could express for Kayleigh 's support but her pep talk had spurred him into action. "Bugger the lot of them!" He muttered as he made his way up to his office. He exchanges several "Good Mornings" on his way, his demeanour the same as usual. 

Cath Hilton was waiting for him as he arrived at the little kitchen the office staff shared as he popped in to make his morning brew.

"Hiya John, how are you? Nice to see you back." Cath gives him a genuine smile.

"I'm alright, thank you Cath." John tells her and he really is.

"I'm glad to hear it. Did you get everything sorted? " 

"Nana's on the mend thank you." 

" Oh no! How is she?" Cath knows how fond John is of his nana.

" She's having physio Cath, should be going into a rehab place any day. " 

John finishes making his brew and walks off towards his office. His first task of the day is to go and see Dave Thompson for his Return to Work. They haven't spoken all week, so John doesn't know what sort of reception he's going to get from Dave, who's not noted for his sympathetic nature. 

"Morning Dave," John says as he taps on Dave's door.

"Aye John, come in. How you doing? "

"Alright, Dave thanks."

"What's happened John? Hope it wasn't anything to do with that video shite." Of course he had seen the video and when he'd stopped laughing he'd been appalled. John had obviously allowed himself to have been reeled in by that Kayleigh. 

"No Dave, my Nana had an accident and was rushed to hospital. It were touch and go there for a while. She 's on the mend now though."

" I'm sorry to hear that John. The timing was a coincidence then? " He's still not completely convinced that John hadn't gone off work due to everyone seeing that soppy video.

"Yes it was Dave. That is a private matter between me and Kayleigh and if I find out who did it I'll be putting them on a disciplinary. I've had that video taken down now so I'm expecting that to be the end of it. I'll be having words with anyone who says anything to me or Kayleigh about it. I hope that you will support me in that and get the message round to all the staff. I want this to be the end of it."

Bloody hell John has finally grown a pair! Dave certainly doesn't want the whole staff distracted from the Christmas push by this latest hot topic of gossip. It's bad enough with Rick and Donna's wedding. 

"Aye John, I'll send that message round loud and clear! We've got Christmas to deliver, can't be doing with this bollocks." Dave fills in the form for a few minutes and passes over to John to read and sign. 

" Right, Dave, thanks. I'll let you get on. Going to catch up on my emails. "

Meanwhile, Kayleigh has been accosted in the breakroom as she's putting her bag in her locker. There are plenty of her colleagues milling about, unwilling to miss out on anything that Kayleigh is likely to let slip. Even though she's been unusually tight-lipped for the past few days since the video was released, they're sure she'll let on what's going on between her and John sooner or later. They are to be disappointed though. Kayleigh displays her usual sunny disposition and gets on with her day, taking no notice of the looks and raised eyebrows directed at her. 

John was right, Kayleigh reflects with a smile. Say nothing and they will soon get bored. It's not going to be that easy, however, the likes of Elsie are not going to give up that easily. It's too juicy to give up so soon so one by one, various of her colleagues, whom previously she had believed herself close to, tried various tactics to get Kayleigh to spill the beans. But Kayleigh was resolute if a little frayed by all the attention and sly questions about her and John.

Morning break arrives with Kayleigh grateful for a brew and a sit down.

"Hello Kayleigh love, you OK?" Elsie sits with Kayleigh in the breakroom. 

" Yes, fine thanks Elsie. How are you? " Kayleigh has a soft spot for Elsie, seeing past her OTT behaviour to the rather sad and lonely woman underneath.

"Same old shite, love. You've got tongues wagging, you and John. Everyone's expecting you to be announcing something soon, what with that video and all." Elsie chuckles kindly.

" There'll be none of that, Elsie. I can assure you of that! " The smile she shows Elsie is not one of sadness as Elsie would have expected. There was a calmness and certainty about her that Elsie couldn't quite interpret. 

"I'm sorry to hear that, Kayleigh."

" Why? " Kayleigh asks even though she knows she shouldn't really be having this conversation with Elsie of all people.

"Everyone can see how head over heels for each other yous are! Tell me your not going to do a Donna and propose! That's a man's job. I sure hope he's man enough! " 

"I can assure you I won't be doing that Elsie!" Kayleigh means it. If they ever get that far, John would be wanting to do things properly. She hopes he won't keep her waiting too long.

"Good! Well make sure he does, Kayleigh!" She taps her nose conspiratorially. " We'll say no more about it love! My lips is sealed! "

"Thank you Elsie! We will say nothing about this to anyone will we?! " 

Kayleigh knows that by letting Elsie think she has the inside track, she'll keep quiet for now for the delayed enjoyment of being able to tell everyone she had known about it months ago but had never said anything.

Despite this understanding with Elsie, Kayleigh is still feeling frayed, so drops John a text to see if they could grab a few minutes at lunchtime. John smiles as he texted her back to confirm he could meet her later. This was always going to be more difficult for Kayleigh as she comes more across people in the course of her day. He's only seen Dave and Cath so far, both of which interactions had been easier than he's expected. 

At lunch time Kayleigh takes her tuna wrap up to John's office to eat with John for a few minutes. It's the one place in the store they'll be able to have some privacy without the scrutiny of somebody. She taps on his door and goes in.

"Hiya John. You OK?" 

" Alright Kayleigh. What's been going on with you this morning? "

" They've not let me alone all morning John! How did your meeting with Dave Thompson go? "

" Aye not bad. He wanted to know if my Leave request was to do with the video. I told him no. It's a private matter and that I expect him to let everyone know not to be talking to either of us about it, that I would putting whoever it was on a disciplinary when I find out who it was. "

Kayleigh is impressed with John's assertiveness. "Hark at you! Going all Lord Sugar! You're fired!"

"I don't think so!" John and Kayleigh are sharing a laugh when Cath Hilton taps on John's door and comes in. 

" Can I have a word John? Oh hiya Kayleigh, didn't see you there. "

"What can I do for you Cath?"

" Just wanted to check in and see if you're OK. Didn't get much of a chance earlier. I'm glad to see that you seem to have sorted yourselves out. " Cath nods at them cosily eating their lunch together.

John and Kayleigh share the briefest of looks, "We're alright, Cath."

" I'd be better if I hadn't had to put up with constant questions this morning." Kayleigh is clearly fed up.

"I've spoken to Dave Thompson about that. I asked him to put a stop to all the gossip about us. I'm going to put whoever it was on a disciplinary who did that video. Would you follow that up with Dave, Cath? " 

"I wish you would, Cath! They don't even seem to care that the video has been taken down now!" 

"It's been taken down?" Cath's surprised.

" Oh yes! John had it taken down last week! " Kayleigh informs Cath proudly.

"Why? It was lovely?"

"It was my song, Cath! I didn't give my permission so it infringed my copyright. Also it was personal! Just meant for Kayleigh to hear. So I got it taken down. "

"I see." Cath has gone very quiet. "I hope it didn't cause any trouble between you two. " 

Again John and Kayleigh look at each other, this time they give each other the slightest of grins.

"Don't take this the wrong way Cath, but how we are is nobody else's business." Kayleigh is beginning to suspect that Cath knows more than she's letting on.

" No of course, I'm not meaning to pry. It's just that you were so upset when I spoke to you the other day... "

"Yes I was Cath," Kayleigh looks at John, " it was a misunderstanding, that's all. "

"Well, I'll leave you to your lunch." And with that Cath beats a hasty retreat.

"That was a bit odd!" Kayleigh is doing her best Miss Marple impression. "don't you think? "

"I suppose so. What do you mean?" John isn't following what Kayleigh's on about.

"Cath seems a bit more I interested in this than usual, that's all. I think she came in to say something else to you then changed her mind when she saw me." Kayleigh shrugs, "Just a feeling I got that's all. Anyway I'd better get back downstairs. Don't want to cause any more gossip! " She kisses John on the cheek and leaves with a smile.

When Kayleigh finally get to the back door at the end of the day, she's aghast to find John standing nose to nose with Barry in the smokers shelter. It did not look like a friendly encounter. She couldn't hear what was being said but she could tell from John's body language that he was not happy.

"John? John! What's going on?"

" Nothing, nothing! " John says to Kayleigh, turning to Barry in a very slow voice says, "If I hear you say anything like that again, I swear to God...."

" John! " Kayleigh thinks it's time to get John away before the situation gets more ugly.

Unbeknownst to Kayleigh, John's day took a turn for the worst after she had seen him . He's had to spend the afternoon in the warehouse, sorting out a stock problem, which meant he was subject to an almost constant barrage of comments and whistles from the warehouse lads. He's tried to shut them all down, tried to take it all in good part, but by the time Barry had out his in two pennies worth, John was at the end of his tether. 

"John?" Kayleigh says more gently this time. " can we get into the car please? I want to go home. " 

John nods, opening the car so Kayleigh can get inside. "I'll be having bloody words tomorrow!"


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Kayleigh have an early night.

"I think you'd better take me to your house, John, so you can tell me what that was all about."

John just nods and drives off out of the car park. He's still trying to control his temper that he knows he shouldn't have lost. However, he's been stewing all afternoon until Barry's sly remark tipped him over the edge. He loses his temper quicker than Kayleigh, but it takes just a look and a touch from her to calm him down and make him laugh. That's what he needs now and is immeasurably glad that she's suggested going back to his.

Kayleigh knows they've both been under a lot of pressure today and it was inevitable in hindsight that one or both of them would have blown up. They should have thought about it really, but they would spend some time together and make each other feel better. She also wants to discuss her growing theory about the video.

"Right get in there and out the kettle on Grant Mitchell!" 

John smiles slightly, "Alright Little Miss Bossy!" He gets out of the car and up to his front door, waiting for Kayleigh to follow him. She's just texting Mandy quickly to let her know that she's gone round to John's on the way home from work.

Kayleigh hustles up to John, who's standing holding his front door open for her. Ushering Kayleigh in, he heads off to the kitchen to make the requested brew. Kayleigh takes off her shoes and dumps her bag in the hall. She goes to take over the tea-making so John can go up and change out of his work suit. All this is done without conversation, none was necessary, their domesticity quietly pleasing them both. 

Returning downstairs in his ubiquitous tracky bottoms and sports shirt, John takes the brew Kayleigh hands him and takes her hand.

"Thank you." he says not knowing what else to say.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Kayleigh squeezes his hand. 

"Bloody bastards in the warehouse got to me that's all."

" Oh John!" She's not so much exasperated as concerned that he lost his temper.

"I know, I shouldn't let those dickheads get to me..." he says shaking his head.

" Do you want to tell me what Barry said? "

John shakes his head again, "Maybe later."

" OK, well what do you want to do this evening? "

"Honestly?" I'd like you to stay. " 

" I'd like to, but I don't have anything with me, apart from my toothbrush and a clean pair of knickers. "

John laughs for the first time since lunchtime. "Knickers? Here she goes again with the "never-ending" bag! "

"Shush John! Of course I have a spare pair! What about my tights and work shirt? "

"I could put them through my washing machine while we have dinner? They'll be dry by tomorrow morning." John offers.

" And what do I wear in the meantime? This isn't a cunning plan to get me to sit around in my underwear is it? " she says chuckling at the look on John's face.

"I've got a small pair of tracky bottoms that might fit you and a tee shirt. You could always sit around in your underwear if you want! " 

"Cheeky! I'd like to get changed, I don't like sitting round in my uniform."

" I'll leave your stuff in the bathroom. Do you want me to order some dinner in? What do you fancy? "

"Thank you John. Pizza?" With that Kayleigh disappears to get changed while John finds her something to put on and orders their dinner.

Kayleigh works her magic, by the time they've finished eating John is almost back to normal. "You know, I think Cath Hilton 's got something to go with that video." Kayleigh voices what's been on her mind for a while.

" Eh? How do you make that out? "

Kayleigh's sitting with a thoughtful expression on her face. "She was trying to persuade me last week that the person who did the video must've thought we were getting engaged and wouldn't have it that they 'd done it to get to you. "

"That doesn't prove anything." John says.

" She just seems a bit too interested in it all. I don't know, call it intuition. "

John and Kayleigh are sat together at the kitchen table having had their pizza, waiting for Kayleigh 's things to finish in the washing machine. 

"So are you going to tell me why you looked as if you were about to hit Barry into next week?" Kayleigh's not going to let John get away with not telling her.

John shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "I'll tell you once we've gone to bed." John says, " It'll be easier when I don't have to look at ya! " John found that talking away while spooning was a great relief. It gave him a freedom to talk that he hadn't found else where.

Kayleigh laughs, "Now that's a ploy to get me into bed I've not heard before, John Redmond! Go to bed with me and I'll talk to you! "

"I didn't mean it like that! As well you know!" John does look a bit abashed though.

"I know John. Only kidding! Here let's get my washing sorted and go up. We can put some music on and have an early night." She raises her eyebrows at him again and smiles cheekily.

John fetches her washing and goes to hang it up in his airing cupboard, bustles around clearing up the remnants of their dinner and turns off the downstairs lights.

"I don't think I've gone to bed this early since I had the flu a couple of winters ago. It's only half past eight!"

" See, I am a good influence on you! Oh I'd better text Mandy. I only said I was going round to your's after work. I never said I was staying! " Kayleigh dishes her phone out of her handbag before going upstairs to the bathroom. 

John gets ready for bed quickly, trying not to think about how excited he's feeling at the prospect of having Kayleigh in his bed so soon after the weekend. It's not comfort he wants now, but he's trying to keep himself distracted by fiddling with his mp3 playlists to find the right one to create the right mood.

He takes his turn in the bathroom once Kayleigh emerges, cleaning his teeth etc in record time while trying to look nonchalant.

"What did your Mandy say?" He enquires as he comes back into his room and shuts the door.

" What after I told her I was staying over to have an early night after you'd talked me into bed? " Kayleigh loves teasing him.

"Well move over then, so I can actually get into bed!" Kayleigh is sat right in the middle of the bed in one of his tee shirts, looking lovely.

" Do you think I should bring a few things over, you know, in case you want me to stay over again? I've been making a mental list. "

"Will I need to hire a trailer? Or borrow Jim's van?"

" Oi cheeky! Just get in here and stop taking the wee wee! "

She turns over to her side and settles so that John can settle in behind her. John breathes in deeply, loving the scent of her shampoo as his nose is tickled by her hair. Kayleigh is by now curiosity personified waiting for John to spit out why he was so furious with Barry. But she knows by now that he'll tell her in his own time. 

Just then though John's home phone rings. Turning over to pick it up, John winces when he sees the caller id.

"Hiya mum. Everything OK? ...Yes I'm fine...I left my mobile downstairs charging. I'm having an early night...no I'm not ill...just had a crap day at work. No, Kayleigh 's fine. You don't need to come round. I'll be fine in the morning. OK mum I'll speak to ya tomorrow. Love ya!"

While Kayleigh is listening to John's side of the conversation, she hiding under the duvet giggling like she 's a teenager caught out in a boyfriend's bedroom.

"Phew that were bloody close! Mum drove past on the way back from the hospital, saw my car but no lights on. She rang my mobile first and was just about to come round if I hadn't answered. " John's shaking his head laughing at the ridiculousness of a thirty-nine year old man getting caught having an early night with his girlfriend by his mother.

"That's so funny! You should have heard the panic!" She's still laughing as she settles back to her former spooning position.

John tucks himself in behind Kayleigh again, "You know that prick Barry said that I'd only done my song to get into your knickers, pretended to get engaged because you wouldn't put out otherwise. I saw bloody red! Apparently that's what all the warehouse blokes think. He said they'd all had a go to get you. He congratulated me on being clever enough to prove you weren't frigid!" I swear to God Kayleigh, if you hadn't come along just then we'd both have been up on a disciplinary. I'm going to have that prick in the office tomorrow! "

Kayleigh gasps. No wonder John was so upset! Truth be told she was upset too.

"The bastard! I wish I had let you hit him now! Rick! Rick is the only one I knocked back that night at the Wethers. Is that what they think?"

" Hey don't get upset. None of them deserve you! You're so much better than those bastards, they wouldn't know what to do with you if they did get a chance! "

They both lay there for a while, seething to their own separate thoughts.

"Sorry, I didn't want to tell you that. But I must admit to feeling better having got that off me chest." John gives her an extra little squeeze. 

" You need to get Dave Thompson and Cath Hilton onto this tomorrow. We can't have you fighting every dirty pig in the warehouse, much as I appreciate you standing up for me. "

"I will Kayleigh. It was just so unexpected. I always thought Barry was a decent enough bloke."

" Don't worry about him now. I told you the first day we car shared that I don't want no scrubs. You are a lovely man, John. That's why I love you and was never interested in that bunch of pigs. "

"What even Ted2?" John's still having difficulty believing that Kayleigh would prefer him to the adonis that was Super Ted.

" Even him John! He knows how gorgeous he is. Spends most of his time posing and looking in the mirror. I don't a bloke to spend more time in the bathroom than me! " 

"Aye, I suppose that's true you and Ted2 would never leave the bloody house!" 

"I know right! I can see how you wanted to hide all this from work now. I suppose I've always been one of the gossips, not the one to be gossiped about. Nothing's ever happened to effin ' me that 's been that interesting. Until now that is. " 

"Tomorrow we're going to get all this sorted. No more. We'll be putting up with no more. But for now though... "

"For now?" Kayleigh smiles to herself.

" For now, I'd like to make the most of this early night of ours. "

"Oh would you? Do you think I can look at you now? Unless you've got anything else you want to say to my back?"

"I'd like to look at your face now, if that's ok?" John says gently as she turns in his arms. 

Looking at each other, they move together and share a kiss that felt a long time coming. Having spent the night together a couple of nights before, they felt more comfortable with each other. More confident in reaching out and touching, of physically experiencing each other. Some time passed this way, kissing and stroking and enjoying. 

"So do you know what to do with me?" Kayleigh asks him in a break from the epic snog they've just had.

" Eh? " John's head isn't entirely in the game.

"You said those bastards in the warehouse wouldn't know what to do with me if they got me. You've got me here. So do you know what to do with me?"

" I've got a few ideas... "


	20. Chapter 20

John's alarm woke them both at six am. John had got used to waking up at painful o'clock since diverting to Bury to pick up Kayleigh every morning. As Kayleigh was here he reached over to his alarm clock and pushed the snooze button, they didn't need to move just yet. John couldn't keep the grin off his face though. He'd not asked Kayleigh to stay with any ulterior motive, he honestly hadn't. But boy was he glad he had! He stretches his hand out to stroke her bare shoulder, he couldn't help himself. Then again he's never been able to help himself where Kayleigh was concerned. After last night he was totally under her spell. 

Kayleigh had been pulled into reluctant consciousness by John's alarm. It seemed ridiculously early and squinting at the neon numbers of John's alarm clock confirmed that it was indeed way too early. So much for an early night! 

"It's too early!" John mutters.

" Too early for what Johnathan!? " 

John chuckes, "If we start that, we're definitely going to be late. Can't be late today. Got that lot to sort out."

"OK, Mr Assistant Manager. We can have a cuddle though can't we?"

" We can, I won't want to let you go though. "

John and Kayleigh's morning cuddle was in danger of getting out of hand until the alarm went off again. They reluctantly separated to get ready for their day. John went and retrieved Kayleigh's washing from his airing cupboard, leaving her tights in the bathroom for her while taking her shirt down to the kitchen to run an iron over it. Making a brew for them both, he left Kayleigh's shirt on a hanger for her.   
When Kayleigh came out of the bathroom in her skirt, tights and bra, she found John sitting back in bed drinking his tea waiting for her.

"I could get used to that sight every morning, "John says before the filter in his brain kicked in. "I mean...well, you know what I mean!"

" Thank you for ironing this for me, you didn't need to, I was just going to do it. " she says grinning at the expression on John's face. "I hope you're not ogling my muffin top!" 

"Your what? Not a bother! I'll go in the bathroom now you've finished. Your brew's over there." He says nodding towards her cup.

"I'll see what there is for breakfast. " Kayleigh is amused at how flustered John still gets when she starts talking " lady things". She's still grinning fondly while she cooks some bacon she finds in John's fridge.

John emerges a while later looking very much the put together manager he is, in contrast to the dishevelled lover he was not an hour before. 

"Thought you could do with this to keep your strength up," Kayleigh smiles, nodding towards the bacon sandwiches she's made them. 

"Thanks, Kayleigh. You ready for today?" John's finally ready to put an end to all this bollocks. 

"Yes I am John! Let's get it all put to bed!"

John starts chuckling.

"Are you going to do that every time that word is mentioned?"

" Probably! For a while anyway. " John is sniggering like an adolescent lad who's just copped his first feel.

"Honestly John! You're going to have to do better than that at work! We're not going to keep this between us at this rate."

" Sorry. I'm so over the moon, I can't help meself. But I'll do better, I promise. "

"Don't get me wrong John, I am too. I wish we could sack it off and stay here all day."

" That's not going to get all this sorted is it? We'd better get off. I'm going to call Barry into my office for a bollocking and I'm going to expect him to apologise to you. Cath Hilton will be there so we can kill two birds with one stone. See if you're right about the video. I'll let you know when to come up to my office. OK?"

"Yes Sir!," Kayleigh agrees saluting him with mock solemnity.

At the store, the news about John nearly decking Barry had of course gone round like wildfire. It was the sole topic of conversation for the evening and night staff, so by the time John and Kayleigh arrived just before nine, the warehouse lads had taken to whistling "Eye of the Tiger", hoping to goad John further.

If that was their intention, they were to be disappointed. John had gone straight to see Dave Thompson and Cath Hilton. They had agreed with him about the course of action he wanted and set about carrying it out. Dave Thompson called a meeting with all the section heads and laid down the law about the effect of gossip in general and the latest incarnation in particular. He made it clear that he expected them to inform their staff to put a stop to it immediately. 

In the meantime Barry was called up to John's office where John and Cath were waiting for him. John read him the riot act about his remarks to him the night before. It was made clear to him that what he said was not acceptable, and he agreed to apologise to both John and Kayleigh. Cath Hilton phoned down to Kayleigh to request her presence. Kayleigh duly arrived a few minutes later.

"Thanks for coming up Kayleigh." Cath tells her. 

Barry begins his apology. "I'm sorry, Kayleigh. I shouldn't 've said what I did. It wasn't true. Well it was true about half the warehouse lads trying it on with you. The rest of it wasn't. But you ignored all of us, some of us were wondering what we hadn't got...." He leaves the rest of his sentence hanging not knowing quite how to finish it without offending either of them further.

" Class, Barry. Not one of you have the class that John has in his little finger. I'm not some Barbie doll to be mauled and passed around by you... by you n-o-b heads."

John nods at her, proud that she's describing him this way. Barry has the grace to look a little bit shame-faced.

"Don't you think you owe John an apology too?" Kayleigh is not prepared to let him off lightly.

" Yeah, I'm sorry, Mr Redmond. I shouldn't have said that. It won't happen again. "

"Right, I don't want to hear any more about this! If we hear anything else said, I'll put you all on final warnings, so help me."

Barry nods and leaves John, Kayleigh and Cath Hilton in need of a brew. 

"I'll just go and put the kettle on." Cath says leaving John and Kayleigh to it for a few minutes.

" I'm so proud of you John, getting him to apologise like that. " In truth Kayleigh really likes this assertive side of John. "I meant it you know. You have more class than all of them out together."

John looks very pleased, "Ready for stage two? " he asks as Cath Hilton comes back into his office with their cuppa's.

"I hope that's satisfactory for you both? I don't think he'll do it again, he's decent enough. "

"If that's an end to it then we'll leave it there, Cath. Kayleigh has something to ask you though."

Cath looks between the two of them. " What's that Kayleigh? "

"I'm just going to come straight out with it Cath. I think that you know more about the video than you're letting on. I might be wrong, it's just a feeling I'm getting. "

Cath is shocked by Kayleigh's forthright approach but knows it's time to come clean. She'd intended to speak to them both today anyway, so here it was time to admit her part in the whole sorry affair.

"Yes I do. I want to start off by saying that there was never any ill -intent. Someone came to me with your song John. It really is excellent. It's a shame you're not going to do anything with it, " she holds up her hands at the look on his face. "I was so happy with what you were telling Kayleigh in it that I felt that you had either proposed or was soon going to. I honestly thought I could get someone to do a video as an engagement present."

Kayleigh glances at John, very pleased that her Hercule Poirot detective skills were spot on. John shakes his head at her giving her a small grin. He's never going to hear the end of it. Personally she thought it was very sweet that Cath had thought of it as a present.

"I'm so sorry it caused you upset. We should have just showed you the video. We should never have released it on You Tube. The only thing I can say is that we got a bit carried away. There's certainly no-one out to get you John. I'm honestly very sorry."

" And was it you that got together all those photo's? How did you do it? " Kayleigh is curious where Cath had got them all from.

"I had a look at all the photo's I've kept over the years. We also had a competition to get a few more." Cath looked a bit shame-faced.

" And who won? " Kayleigh can't help herself but ask.

"Steve off Freezers took that picture of you at a pub I believe."

John has been sat all the while listening to all this trying to decide what to do. He had said he would put everyone involved on a disciplinary, but he was feeling less inclined to go down this route the more Cath explained.

"I'll need to think about all this Cath. I need to decide what to do about it." John says giving nothing away.

Kayleigh 's concerned that John will carry out his threat of disciplinary measures against Cath. She touches his arm and gives him that tilt of the head he's unable to resist, telling him without words how she feels. John smiles at her slightly and nods, knowing what she means. Cath observes all this with a smile despite herself, wondering what John will decide to do.

"I'd better go." Kayleigh says. " See you later John, bye Cath. "

Cath moves to go too but John stops her. "Can I have a quick word Cath?" 

 

..............……............................................ 

 

Several months pass, early autumn turns into winter then spring. Christmas and Rick and Donna's wedding come and go and John and Kayleigh 's relationship progresses happily, with much joy, laughter and singing and without the overt scrutiny of their colleagues. Kayleigh spends several night a week staying at John's and has found genuine friendship with John's family, his mum and Nana Rose in particular. John's bromance with Steve saw no sign of abating either.

No more was said about John's song or video until one day in early May, when both John and Kayleigh 's phones went off simultaneously as they were driving home from work.

"Oh look, Cath Hilton's sent a link!" Kayleigh remembers the last time this happened, the déjà vue not entirely welcome.

" What 's this now? Here, get it on my phone. " John grins as he waits for Kayleigh's reaction as he pulls into the drive thru so they can watch the link.

The first bars of John's song fill the car, to which Kayleigh clasps her hand over her mouth, not daring to look in John's direction.

"Hiding from the past

And locked up inside

I thought my heart was safe

And then you arrived

I never knew why I needed someone like you to lift the grey away, turn my skies blue

You changed my world to colour, turned off the black and white

You changed my life, you opened up my eyes so

You're back my car share buddy,

I think that life is fair

You're back my car share buddy, I was lost when you weren't there

The road was oh so lonely, it felt like someone died

I was lost you weren't with me

Pleased now you let me be your ride!

I didn't understand that love could be true

But then you told me how much I mean to you

And never thinking that we'd end up apart

I sat and watched you walk away with my heart

Now I didn't want to lose you

But I just needed time to do what's right, to figure out my life so

You're back my car share buddy, I'm not facing life alone

You're back my car share buddy, the journey seemed so long

I find it hard to say it but I'm feeling it inside

I'm so lost, when you're not with me

Please won't you say you'll be my bride?"*

Kayleigh knows John's song so much by heart that she doesn't notice the slight changes to the lyrics at first. John watched anxiously as the light starts to dawn as Kayleigh takes in what she's listening to. By the end of the video, (which has been updated with photo's John's provided and a big pink heart with the words "Will you marry me?" over a picture of them kissing).

John's got that adorable grin on his face while Kayleigh is digesting the song and the video. When she finally turns to John, she has tears streaming down her face and the happiest smile in the known universe.

"Yes of course I will! Did you really put that on You Tube for everyone to see? You rewrote the words! "

"I did! And now you've said yes I don't care who sees it! But I did have a little help from Cath Hilton!" 

* copyright : original writers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this tale has come to an end. Thank you very much for continuing to read. I hope the ending wasn't too obvious! Apologies for the slight mangling of John's fabulous song, I hope you can forgive the changes. I've sung it through so hoping it still scans.


End file.
